Hierarchical Complexity
by IceHaze
Summary: Understanding and predicting the behaviors of humans requires extensive analysis. Understanding and predicting the behaviors of Uchiha Itachi requires a miracle.
1. Model Framework

**Crossover:** Naruto x Sailor Moon

**Pairing:** ItaUsa (Somewhere out there, rabid Itachi fangirls are scratching their heads from the vexation of this pairing)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, Naruto, Sailor Moon or any of the characters within each story. I do, however, own the contents and concepts of this story. Please do not post this story anywhere else without my explicit permission (It's not that hard to get). I also do not own the original basis of this theory, but I have developed my own set of theories based on this model.

**Author's Note:** This is the sequel to "Sweet as a Cloud." The idea came from one of my research papers in school. Though the nature of this story will complicate progessively (only a bit), I hope to retain a light feeling. As such, I have decided to use humor as a tool to keep the story from getting too boring. I don't want to bore you; this is fanfiction, not a research paper after all. I also hope this isn't too OOC for you.

* * *

**Summary of Theory:** It is possible to understand and predict the behaviors of processes and objects by scoring the complexity levels. The theory can be applied to people in order to understand their nature. In order to do so, their behaviors and characteristics must be grouped by levels of hierarchy and explained through developmental stages. The ending results in Human Psychophysics.

**Chapter Summary: **A simple habit gets over-analyzed.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Model Framework**

* * *

Sasuke released a heavy sigh as he shut the refrigerator door abruptly.

His agitation was becoming more evident as the month dragged on. The first few days (maybe even the first two weeks) were fine. But as the problem progressed longer than he'd care for it to, he had the overwhelming desire to voice it to the other members of the household.

Sasuke sat down at the table and stole a glance at his mother who was humming to an unknown melody. She was currently rinsing out the dirty bowls from breakfast and laying them out to dry. He grimaced as she rubbed over a spot in the bowl with her fingernails, emitting a high-pitched squeaking sound.

"Ne, kaa-san…"

"Yes, Sasuke-chan?" Mikoto continued to rub the stain in irritation and furrowed her brows when she realized the bowl was putting up quite a fight.

"I don't think it's normal," he lazily dropped the nibbled food onto the plate on the table and sighed heavily when he noticed his mother was only half paying attention.

Mikoto finished up her bowl and proceeded to wipe her hands clean. She knew her son's annoyance level could only reach so high and so she gave Sasuke her full attention. He was currently keeping himself occupied with the skewers holding his dumplings, rolling them back and forth carelessly.

His displeasure was evident.

"What's not normal, sweetie?" She purposely evaded the subject and reached out for a dry washcloth right by the sink.

Sasuke gave her a small scowl and Mikoto smiled nervously. "Sasuke-chan, there's nothing wrong."

"It's going overboard." He said this as he picked up the dumplings from the plate in order to attempt another nibble. His face scrunched in dissatisfaction and he once again, placed the dumpling back down.

"Now, now, Sasuke-chan. Hanami dango are traditional during flower gazing. It's not unusual for families to have the kitchen filled with them as treats."

Sasuke frowned and lay the treat down onto his plate with a plop. "Well, we're not watching the sakura now." He continued to fidget with them in annoyance. "And what about these?" He said this as he used his fork to pick up a small piece from a bowl filled with anmitsu.

Mikoto smiled patiently once again. "They go great with the shiratama dango."

He dropped said fork onto the bowl. "It's not that hot outside. And then how do you explain the manjuu?"

The small twitch on her brows didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke. "Itachi brought them back from a mission when he stopped by the hot springs."

"Since when does he have time to stop by the hot springs? And what about the ichigo daifuku, castella, and strawberry cheesecake?"

Mikoto knew she lost this battle. She knew Sasuke brought up a valid argument. It was evident since the first few days.

Itachi had a problem.

She tossed the washcloth back on the counter, walked over to the table, and sat down right next to her son. "It's probably just a phase."

Sasuke cocked one eyebrow. He didn't think it was "just a phase."

Knowing her son did not accept her answer, she leaned on one hand heavily, trying to decide if she should share her suspicions with him. There was the risk of Sasuke not being able to absorb the information properly, or her intuition being way off the target. After all, this was Itachi she was trying to understand. And when it came to her eldest child, there was no certainty in any assertions. It was sometimes stressful having an AB type for a son.

Neither spoke a word, even as the sound of footsteps approached the kitchen. Fugaku leisurely walked across the kitchen and glanced at the pair. He looked over at his wife and son who seemed to be too self-absorbed at the moment and decided to leave them in peace. He opened up the fridge, frowned and shut the door slowly. After sitting across from the two, he let out a heavy sigh.

He glanced at the two, hoping either would break the tension. When it was obvious that both were lost in their own thoughts, he decided to speak. His five simple words effectively broke them out of their trance.

"Has anyone talked to him?"

After watching their heads shake side-to-side, he began to assess the situation himself. With one finger massaging his temple, he looked up at the ceiling, trying to formulate an explanation to this predicament.

"Maybe he's sick," suggested Sasuke as he pushed his bowl over to his mother. If Itachi _was_ sick, then he didn't want to contract any diseases by eating his food.

"No, his performance on his missions has yet to sway, and the results from his recent physical showed no signs of any contracted diseases. This appears to be more psychological." Fugaku crossed his arms and stared at the sweet contents on the table.

The thought had crossed his mind before. But the examination proved that Itachi was perfectly fit. And so he began to think up any rationale behind the problem. There was a slight possibility that Itachi was using the comforts of the food to placate some deep psychological problem. It wasn't unusual for people to use food as psychological remedies in order to alleviate the stresses of their lifestyle. What _was _unusual was his choice of foods. _That_ he found…a bit unsettling. He hoped that his son was not developing some erratic eating disorder. It would not bode well in his future missions. Sporadic behavior, after all, is a sign of psychosis. And he didn't think Itachi adopted the habit of speaking to himself—_yet_, anyway.

There were also the suspicious lapses between his missions. As captain of his Anbu squad, Itachi would at times be sent on high classed missions. When recruitment was short, he would be sent as a regular Jounin captain for a pre-assigned squad. He didn't doubt his son's abilities in handling his mission; he even thought some were beneath his current status. The problem was that Itachi would take a little _too _long in returning home. When he asked Itachi's teammates, they assured him that he went off for more training. He hoped that, for Itachi's sake, that all he did was train. He didn't want his son shaming himself by doing anything to betray the clan. Accepting mediocre missions out of kindness didn't seem like something Itachi would do, either. There must have been another incentive behind these regular missions. And Itachi would remain so distant upon returning from them. These strange behaviors and isolation furthered his suspicions. Was Itachi planning anything? Or was he letting something simple get out of hand? Whatever the case, he didn't want his family to get worried over these extreme ideas so he suggested the simplest answer.

"It's probably stress from all the work."

Neither of the other two said a word. This was a logical explanation.

Sasuke placed a hand under his chin as he pondered on the possibilities. It was hard to read Itachi's expressions as he always remained stoic; however, that didn't rule out the chance that all his work was overwhelming him. Itachi not only had his missions to worry about, but his duties to the clan and watching over his only brother. Sasuke felt a tiny bit guilty at having to give his older sibling another chore. He would constantly pester Itachi about never training with him now that he was in the academy. When Itachi kept assuring him that another time would be more suitable, he'd accuse his brother of not caring. He remembered the many arguments that grew from this. Itachi always remained impartial, and Sasuke would be furious. There were times he 'ran away' in an attempt to worry him. It always ended with him finding his own way back and submitting to the fact that maybe he'd acted like a spoiled brat. He blamed his brother for most of these problems. But now, he began to feel guilty for not understanding Itachi's position. He was probably exhausted from all his work as a Jounin. Being the captain of an Anbu squad carried a lot of responsibility.

Then there was their father who constantly pushed Itachi to the brink of his limit. The clan expected so much out of him and Sasuke wondered if they remembered Itachi was still so young. He couldn't even begin to fathom the pressures Itachi must be bearing. On top of that, there were days that Itachi would go "missing" and he could only conclude that his brother went off somewhere to train privately. He wasn't the type to show off and neither did he enjoy company for personal training. But was all that really necessary? Itachi had basic training he did within Konoha, but to train even in between missions, and alone? Was he to assume that between his missions, general clan duties, team meetings, house chores, watching over his brother, and routine training Itachi took on the task of pushing himself even further by testing the limits of his capabilities? Sasuke definitely admired his older brother's dedication and discipline.

"Maybe he's stretching himself too thin?"

Mikoto silently agreed; both her son and husband offered valid explanations. That still didn't stop her from fantasizing. Though she knew her suspicions were difficult to accept and far too improbable, she couldn't help but let herself daydream at the possibility. She giggled internally at her glee—at the prospect that her son, Uchiha Itachi, could even remotely be in love. That would explain all the sweets he had been bringing thus far. They could be presents from a girl, or maybe even _girls. _Maybe his fan base finally had the courage to deliver him gifts? No, that couldn't be the case. Itachi never showed interest in this "fan club" and would, in turn, never indulge in their gifts. And the fact that Itachi truly _was_ consuming these confectionaries proved that it could only be from one person, and possibly, someone he loved. She was sure they were gifts because her son would not go out of his way simply to purchase sweets, despite what she told Sasuke earlier about the manjuu. He was more of the type to indulge in something because it was convenient or readily available. He also didn't like to waste food.

Then there was what she liked to call, Itachi's "me time." At first, she was worried he would be influenced by his peers into doing dangerous things in order to alleviate the stress. But Itachi wasn't the type to try anything simply out of pressure, and once she noticed his strange eating habits, that thought was immediately discarded. Instead, she began to suspect Itachi would spend his time in between missions courting this potential lover. Well… 'suspect' might not be the word she was looking for—it was more like wishful thinking. She only prayed he didn't do anything to shame himself or his family, like fornication. But she trusted her son enough to believe he wouldn't. That didn't stop a mother from worrying, though, especially when there were nights he wouldn't return. This brought on a small blush; after all, her son was a _healthy_ young man. Surely he had the same thoughts other men his age did? That was quite normal and a way most young men in his generation alleviated their stress. She would definitely need to give Itachi 'the talk.' Aside from that small concern, she was beyond ecstatic. Ah, yes, her son…in love.

"That must be it!"

She fell into a fit of giggles at such a notion and received confused frowns from both her husband and youngest son.

Before either of them could interrogate Mikoto, soft steps approached the kitchen. They watched as Itachi quietly went over to the fridge.

His blank eyes darted side to side. Something was obviously missing and when he noticed that, he began to mumble his annoyance. Deciding on a substitute, he grabbed it quickly and shut the fridge door behind him. Normally, he would have exited without so much as a glance to anyone; however, this time he could feel the tension radiating from each of them. All of it was directed towards him. Deciding it was more efficient to just be direct, he cast a glance sideways.

"What?"

Fugaku noted Itachi's silent mumbling and began to believe his son truly _was_ developing psychotic behavior.

Sasuke decided to remain silent. Itachi's annoyance was quite intimidating and he didn't want to push it further by questioning his older brother's capacity in handling his workload.

Mikoto's original assertion remained unvoiced as well. She didn't think the timing was quite right.

The trio continued to stare and decided to leave things as they were. Neither of them was brave enough to confront Itachi directly, at least, not with an audience present. Thus they settled for their individual rationales and avoided any eye contact. The atmosphere was thick and only the sound of water leaking from the faucet could be heard.

Itachi frowned and decided that maybe it wasn't at all worthwhile to converse after all. And so, he left without another word, sweets in tow.

It wasn't long before the silence died out. Realizing that laundry still needed to be done; Mikoto excused herself from the table. Fugaku left as well, not bothering to give anyone a reason. That left only Sasuke behind at the table.

There was just no point in being agitated over something like that. Itachi probably wouldn't change even if they _did_ intervene. He may even continue the habit just to aggravate everyone. He glanced sideways to the plate of dumplings and bowl of anmitsu he cast aside before. They were really starting to bother him, so he picked up the dishes and tossed the remains into the trashcan. After placing the bowl and plate in the sink, he walked away from the kitchen.

Sasuke knew then that he would never look at sweets in quite the same way again.

**End Chapter 1**

* * *

Well, I am working on the next chapter of **ASC**. In the meantime, this idea popped into my head and I just _had_ to write it down. This will be my first multi-chapter story. I apologize for long lapses but I am, hopefully, graduating this semester. This final semester is really stressful and I have the priorities of my schoolwork. The minimal leisure time I do have is spent jotting down ideas and writing.

--Icehaze--


	2. I SensoryMotor

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, so don't sue me. I'm broke.  
**Timeline:** Alternate, doesn't fit in to any one timeline. Several key events have been altered to fit this story's needs.  
**Author's Notes:** Been awhile, here's a new one for you. Plenty of Itachi.

* * *

**Sensory-Motor**

* * *

It was not a premonition that occurred overnight after turning carelessly around in a futile attempt to sleep. It was not a logical connection drawn from a series of deduction through unsorted clues. It was simply an instinct. And though Itachi felt uneasy relying solely on those feelings throughout life, he trusted his instincts enough to know not to dismiss it—the dreadful feeling that somehow the day would be anything but uneventful.

It started out like every other morning—with the same old routine of which he was accustomed. Wake up before sunrise. Eat a simple breakfast alone at the table. Take a quick jog around the estate and either head over to the tower to report for official Anbu duty or head over to Uchiha Police Headquarters and check in for work needing to be done. But when he entered the kitchen, he realized that would not be the case today. And he raised his guard instantly.

"Itachi." Fugaku gave his son one glance and then continued to sip his tea quietly. It was meant as an invitation to join him and Itachi accepted cautiously.

Neither spoke. And the fact that the sun had yet to fully rise made the scene that much more eerie. The ambiance was dark and desolate. Minimal amounts of light illuminated from the window, casting off small shadows from the two figures sitting in mutual silence. Tiny drops of water escaped from the faucet and fell in a steady pattern. Occasional vibrations escaped into the air as the sound of metallic silverware clanked on the surface of the porcelain dishes. Fugaku noted the faint sounds of a clock's hands turning, signifying that more time had passed since his son joined the table.

Itachi sipped his hot, miso soup carefully while pouring in very small amounts of soy sauce, the taste obviously too bland for him. It was very displeasing. But even more displeasing was his father eyeing his every movement carefully from the corner of his eyes. Oh, he tried to hide it alright. If there was something he really wanted to say then why not out with it? The suspense was pointless. It was obvious his father wanted to ask something of him and that feeling from before returned three-fold. This was going to be much more taxing than a simple "pass the soy sauce."

After several more minutes of silence, Fugaku set his cup down and added a tiny bit of mint to his drink. "Itachi, today we are attending a very important and crucial meeting. As the future head of our clan it is important that you oversee…"

He fought the urge to sigh. His father was incessant when it came to politics, and Itachi found it really hard to be attentive whenever they had this talk. Instead he glanced subtly around the kitchen, trying to focus on anything but his father. His gaze finally settled on a little plate settled carefully on the counter. They were manjuu. He vaguely recalled having gone to the market the other day for his mother and buying some sweets for himself, but they were just dango. _Did I go to the market _twice _that day? _No, and he didn't recall buying any even if he did. And then an image of their owner appeared in his head as well as the reason they were currently in his possession. He figured that he already took the last batch of them back to her, but apparently a few stray snacks evaded him. Honestly, when was that girl going to get her act together and at least remember to take her food home with her? Since the time they spent together, he was constantly looking out for her. Apparently that meant cleaning up after her mess and having to use his refrigerator as her own personal storage unit for the sweets she never remembered to take back home. Usagi was a suitable name for her; after all, it felt like having to look after a pet.

It was then that a curious thought entered his mind. A ninja rabbit; he'd never heard of one. And the idea of a ninja-suited rabbit was rather silly. Then again, they had ninja dogs, cats, birds, snakes, monkeys, toads and who knows what else? Who was to say a rabbit couldn't be useful? And why was he even thinking about this anyway? Then his gaze met that of the manjuu and he instantly recalled. Yes, it was that vexing little rabbit as a ninja. His eyes narrowed as his mind began to ponder over the thought, and he stared at his teacup vacantly as he let such peculiar ideas circulate through his brain. It was just too amusing in his mind. He couldn't even begin to understand how the Kuchiyose no Jutsu would work in that case, or a fusion for that matter. A rabbit suited up as a ninja wasn't exactly one of the most threatening creatures to appear on the battlefield. And Usagi with bunny ears suited up as a ninja, even less of a threat. But it still would be a priceless moment, nonetheless. One he would gladly relish in all its taunting glory. And after thinking about that last thought, he really did have to bite back a smile.

"Am I understood, Itachi?"

"Ah…" A trained response, naturally. He hadn't heard a word his father said but deduced it had something to do with one of two things: Anbu or Uchiha Police. That's the way it always was. So it didn't really matter. His focus was on more important issues…or something like that.

"Good, then make sure you're on your best behavior and that you stay completely focused in this meeting. The chuunin exams are of utmost significance especially for the future of our family. It is important that we oversee the success of our clan in this exam as it is crucial in the next stage of development for this generation of participants."

He blinked and tried to assess that last comment. Chuunin exams? Since when did he participate in those kinds of meetings? Perhaps he _should_ have been listening. Well, it wasn't such a troublesome thing. Sooner or later he was bound to find out the reasons. His brain tried to piece together some loose ideas: exams, meeting, men, development, politics. Then the idea hit him. They were using him, once again, because of his position in Anbu—one in which he would assume the role of ambassador to the Hokage. His father always was predictable. But that suited Itachi just fine. It made not listening to him that much easier.

Fugaku regarded his son carefully. Since he began talking, he noted what he assumed to be nervous glances. Itachi's eyes were focusing on everything _but_ him. The darting gaze was the first sign. Then there was a brief moment when he talked about how important it was for his son not to lose focus on the clan's success by straying too far on personal goals and that's when he saw it. It was just for a brief moment, but most certainly there. The narrowing of eyes—a sign of suspicion. The casual tapping of fingers—a sign of anxiety. And the direction of his focus was a left upwards gaze, a visually constructed image. Most likely one related to a darker secret, after all, his eye darted in that direction as soon as he mentioned personal goals. It was the look of having been caught doing something disreputable. So maybe his suspicions _were_ correct. He would have to discuss it with his wife later as well. But for now, he was really counting on a second opinion and that was where this meeting came in.

Ah, yes…the meeting_._ He only told his son half the truth about today's events. True, that he could be helpful considering his position; however, the Hokage made it clear long ago that Itachi was to remain impartial and offer as little help as possible to these events. He had the duty of a bodyguard during that point and the old man Sarutobi didn't want Itachi's direct influence on the Uchiha combatants resulting in an outcry from other clans who didn't share the same advantages. It was a detail he never discussed with his son. But his purpose today was far from that. The meeting was nothing more than a diversion. Fugaku knew that pinning down Itachi's strange behavior would need some outside sources and so he enlisted the help of other members of the clan. His son was rather precocious and excellent at concealing his emotions; merely reasoning with him would lead him nowhere and his analysis on Itachi's behavior would not be enough. And it always helped to have an outside perspective.

Fugaku quickly finished his breakfast. His plan was simple. Escort his son to headquarters, lead him to a private quarter, and begin the 'meeting.' All the details in between had already been calculated as well. From the timing, to the members present, even a specific seating pattern and mock schedule of affairs to manage. It was not as if they were fake duties, but they weren't necessarily planned with Itachi taking a pivotal role in their execution. Either way, his son wasn't aware of that, and it was a perfect camouflage to the real matters at hand.

After finally deciding it was time to leave, Fugaku abruptly stood, never taking his eye off his son, the courtesy being returned. "I'm going to gather a few items for today's meeting. Meet me outside in exactly ten minutes, Itachi." He gathered his dishes and set them in the sink as he briskly walked out of the kitchen.

Itachi watched him leave with narrowed eyes. The man was obviously up to something, something beyond the realm of his everyday police work. He was sure of it. But knowing there was nothing quite yet he could do about it, he abandoned the breakfast table and begrudgingly walked outside, ready to meet his father. He looked up at the sky, it was still dark. Good, maybe they could get the work done by noon or so. He had plans later that day and didn't want police work to interfere. Any plans made with Sasuke were always cherished. He thought about his little brother and smiled. Sasuke always wanted to be a policeman just like his father. Itachi bet his life savings that the minute Sasuke got a taste of what being a policeman truly meant, (paperwork and boring guard duty) he would gladly stick with being on a three-man cell team.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father emerge from the house and he quickly bore his standard stoic mask. His father was watching him carefully and he didn't want to lead him in any strange direction.

"Let's go."

He followed without word or recognition of having heard anything at all. Instead, just simply following in mutual silence. And after a fairly lengthy walk, they arrived at headquarters. It was only after a few seconds upon entering did he remember why he dreaded coming to work on an early Wednesday morning.

Papers flying everywhere. Reports being tossed carelessly on the table. People running amok and bumping into each other along with several choice words being exchanged for the unwanted contact. Feathers drifting carelessly through the air from several peregrine species delivering messages and many of which seemed to be exchanging their own choice of screeches from the chaos. Angry curses coming from several officers towards the rookies for such careless display of unprofessionalism on the job…

He sighed internally. And they wondered why he hated coming here. Nevertheless, he ignored the circus and followed his father around the back corridors and into a more remote part of the building. And he couldn't help but think how much more dangerous and unsettling that was compared to all the noise. The room they were entering was far too secluded and suspicious.

Fugaku opened the doors and motioned for Itachi to enter. It was a large conference room where only he and a few others met to discuss important issues. This time, however, he was more curious to gain insight about his son. They would start off the meeting normally as to not arouse his son's suspicions and then eventually lead into the interrogation. All of it would be casual of course. Itachi would recoil into his shell if he felt it was anything otherwise. His comrades still couldn't believe the claims, especially when it consisted around a simple eating disorder but they as well noted Itachi's other strange behaviors—mostly regarding his isolation. And so, they agreed to diagnose. Fugaku never liked to lose control over a situation, nor did he care for anyone else to. He refused to let Itachi lose control.

"Have a seat."

His father pointed to a specific seat for him and Itachi noted that perhaps the seating arrangements were planned as well. The table itself was round and the top was entirely of glass. He vaguely recalled having used a similar table by his own squad during interrogations. The glass was used to ensure the culprit wasn't hiding anything or trying anything too suspicious under the table. It was also used as a way to read his or her body gestures in order to try to analyze strange behavior patterns. Then his eyes fell back to the seating pattern and he noted his father was actually nowhere near him. In fact the others were seated a few inches away from him. No one was in his peripheral vision; he had a clear view of all the members of their little meeting. So the question was 'Why would they bring him to a room like this unless _they _had the intention of interrogating _him_?' He subtly checked the room for any glass mirrors. Noting that there were no other possible ways for people to listen in, he deduced that whatever was going to be discussed would remain confidential. Which brought him to the next question: 'What was so important about _him _that had to remain confidential?' He would lay low for awhile and for once, actually pay attention. He remembered about the uneasy feeling he harbored and thought perhaps this was it. If that was the case, he would have to actually retain information from this meeting. And the idea of sitting in a room, conducting a meeting and engaging in politics was unbearable. He wasn't quite sure which was more torturous, a painfully induced Tsukuyomi or a long and strenuous meeting.

"All right, everyone. Let's begin. Our first order of business is the next chuunin exams. As you all know, we have only a few children born from this generation. From that batch, we have even less capable and ready to take the exams. Our focus should be on those ready to advance. I've taken the liberty of preparing a report of our greatest shinobi and their statistics—one for each of you. Sit tight everyone, we might be here awhile. I'll order us lunch if we don't finish by noon."

He would gladly take the former. And he glanced casually at the clock, reading the time it read—five a.m. With an internal sigh, he redirected his attention back to the group_. _"Seventy-two hours of torture begin now," he thought with half amusement and half frustration.

As the meeting progressed, Itachi listened carefully to the others debate about the clan's issues. But he was far more concerned with an ulterior motive because he was still adamant in his original presumptions; which, according to the conversation, were correct. They did plan on using his position to their advantage. But then why discuss this in such a remote place in the building and in what was obvious to be an interrogation room? He couldn't let go of the feeling; he wouldn't. This was all some clever ruse into lowering his suspicions and catching him off guard before they began interrogating him. But he still couldn't figure out what exactly they wanted to find out about him. It was agonizing, even more so was the time as it progressed excruciatingly slow and Itachi figured that staring at the clock from time to time may not have been the best of ideas. It somehow made things slower. Did they use a genjutsu? No, he was overreacting.

"Next, I'd like to bring up possible combatants from other branches. Our focus now should be on the statistics of the shinobi you see right in front of you."

Itachi's fingers found the divider's tab, and he easily turned to the next section. His eyes glanced over all the ninja information gathered and he scowled at how horrible these men were. Here they were, police that were supposed to protect the public but instead, using the information they had against the people they were supposed to protect. Life was one great paradox. But he hid the scowl quickly as he noticed a man on his right glancing at him, catching his eyes momentarily before glancing back at the pages of the material. He followed suit and leisurely read through all of them as they were being read aloud for the entire group.

"Hyuuga Neji will be our top priority. Despite Hyuuga Hinata entering, our data shows that his chances of proceeding to the final rounds are an astounding ninety-three percent, exceeding Hinata's mere fifty-eight percent. Now, he carries the doujutsu, byakugan, and excels in the art of Juuken. Despite the sharingan's copying and analytical abilities, if the boy lands contact, it's over. The entire chakra flow will suffer and the sharingan will not be able to remain activated for more than a few seconds longer, giving him full advantage to retaliate. Furthermore, because of the degree in which the doujutsu's sight allows, it further deters—"

The voice faded in his mind as he thought about the chuunin exams. He remembered his exam, or rather, _exams_. He sighed mentally. Failing his first chuunin exam was planned; he wanted no part in advancing further or being caught in his father's ambitions. But alas, the plan backfired and he received the physical backlash for throwing in the towel so to speak. And so he had no choice in the next exam but to pass. It was obvious to him then that they weren't going to let him go that easily, just as they wouldn't leave him in peace now. He really did hate politics.

"So what do you think, Itachi?"

His eyes met with that of the officer and made no reply other than a simple 'ah.' He caught the last part about Sasuke most likely having to fight him but ignored the rest. Every time his little brother's name was mentioned, it really did spark an interest. And yes, he did agree. Neji and Sasuke would most likely clash on the battlefield.

"Sasuke's strong points are his ninjutsu casting and intellect. He's quick on his toes, but unfortunately so is Neji-san. Furthermore, Neji-san is more sophisticated in his style and execution and is less prone to rash decisions. It wouldn't be long into the match until he gains the advantage. Those are just the strategic points. His endurance is greater than Sasuke's as well as his control of chakra; therefore, our main focus should rely on increasing Sasuke's speed and stamina in order to diminish Neji-san's chakra reserves."

The man nodded firmly. "Yes, exactly."

He actually wanted to kick himself for letting his mind wander, but luckily he was also quick on his toes. Coming up with information like that came easy to him. It was the art of inventive design, improvisation. Or as Usagi once put it, pure bull. He shook the thought out and reprimanded himself for spacing out again. Didn't he say he would retain information in the meeting? Yes, he had to forgo spacing out—a trait he picked up after hanging around an aforementioned person. It was a horrible attribute to accumulate; couldn't he have her speed instead? He really did envy it.

Itachi shot his eyes slowly to the left. Another man was watching him carefully but quickly went on to looking at his notes. That was the second time it happened, and as he looked carefully around without being noticed, he realized how little attention was given to the facilitator. They all appeared as if they were reading along, but he noticed one important detail. None of their eyes darted in any direction; they were all fixated at one point for a few minutes before turning the page. No one could read like that, not even when _he_ scanned information. It was physically impossible.

"So which ninjas should we should focus on?"

"From all the rookies this year, our focus should be on the groups being led by Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuuhi Kurenai, and Might Guy. They all feature ninjas who are from prominent clans. Aburame, Inuzuka, Hyuuga, Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka. As strong as some of the other combatants are, our focus should be on those from the clans I just mentioned."

The facilitator nodded. He too had a similar conclusion. "Ah, my thoughts exactly. Itachi, do you concur?"

"No." His reply was stern and the man actually held his breath from it. But he hadn't meant for it to come out that harsh. He was just upset from the arrogance.

"Then what is it?" It was his father this time, with his arms folded on his chest. He seemed to be a little too defensive at the moment and for what, he didn't know yet.

"Those of which come from well-known clans all have techniques such as kekkei genkai that are readily known. Meaning that even though their methods' secrets are kept well hidden, their style of fighting is anything but secret. This makes it easier to find strategies to fight against them. True that they will also be prepared against us, but at least it gives us a starting point to prepare. Ninjas who don't come from prominent clans tend to be a bit more difficult to prepare against. The only thing you can do is train normally because they usually have unconventional methods of fighting, many of which are impossible to predict. That was all I meant."

He heard murmurs of what he assumed to be agreement, until another man spoke out.

"I can understand all that, but what about the female competitors? Women shouldn't pose a problem for us."

He frowned at that comment, and apparently, quite visibly judging from their hesitant reactions.

"Gender is no issue when it comes to the battlefield. All ninja—kunoichi or shinobi—must be regarded as an equal threat. It would be reckless not to and an embarrassment to be caught off guard for such a trivial matter. Not to mention deadly. Kunoichi are more than capable of handling their counterparts. Did you all forget of one Mitarashi Anko?"

They all cowered at that thought. Anko had a way of doing that to men; even the great Ibiki faltered just a tad under her gaze. After all, the woman had trained with the traitor, Orochimaru. And if he deemed her worthy enough to train, then her skills were worthy of recognition in everyone's minds. Then another fact crossed his mind.

"Or if that's not enough to convince you, need I remind you of the last chuunin exams? I believe it was a female who defeated our very own Uchiha Michio. And one who was without a high pedigree."

It was adding insult to injury; he knew that very well and savored every moment of it. They all bore scowls at the memory. It was a tough and close battle but in the end, it was because of that kunoichi that no Uchiha members were promoted to chuunin. Michio was their last ditch effort, and he failed during the final rounds. But at least he did make it to the end. And at the memory of that final battle, he wanted to smile. It was one of the proudest moments he ever had of his former pupil.

"Itachi has a point. We need to look at all ninjas equally. We can't afford to make any stupid mistakes this go around."

They murmured in agreement yet again and continued on with business. The rest of the meeting progressed like that and this time, they decided they would also focus on all aspects of the exams. And after what really did feel like seventy-two hours of torture, they were able to get a break.

Noon finally arrived, and a recess was immediately issued. They actually managed to analyze all of the contenders in the next chuunin exams and laid out a specific guideline of training regimens as well as a set of strategies based on every combination of possible opponents. It took a lot of work but the final report was several pages thick, too big to fit in any scroll they had. So they settled on a bound hard copy. And as every person was taking the time to stretch unused muscles, one of the officers went off to retrieve their lunches. With break officially announced, light conversation filled the room and Fugaku realized that now was the best opportunity. Giving a quick glance to another man, he sat back down in his seat and pretended to read over the information handed out earlier.

"Quite a meeting we have here. Didn't think it would ever end. Then again this could just be intermission." He finished off with a deep chuckle.

Itachi politely regarded the person who began a conversation with him. It was Yashiro. He was a bit on the elderly side, and bore pale spiked hair with matching hazel gray eyes that barely showed. His age was obviously making it hard for them to remain entirely open at all times. But he didn't look even mildly intriguing, and Itachi was reluctant on sharing his feelings on the meeting. Still, he was a man instilled with manners by his beloved mother. Well, 'crazy mother' was more like it, and it felt more of a 'beaten into it' than an 'instill.'

He smiled at his comment, though this was purely a façade. "Well we do have quite a bit of problems to sort through."

"I'm glad you could take the time off your busy schedule to support our cause. I understand that with you being in Anbu, there's just not much room for personal time. I myself would find much better ways to spend a sunny afternoon. What about you Itachi? Any plans for the afternoon prepared?"

Segue…and a fairly smooth one. He gave the man that much credit. "None whatsoever, my duties come first after all." He said this mostly to gauge a reaction from his father, and it did. His father was now curiously reading his report at a fairly slow pace. Surely he hadn't developed dyslexia or illiteracy quite suddenly. He reprimanded him mentally for having insulted his intelligence but kept his attention on just the old man. The room seemed to have gotten a little quieter for some strange reason, too. Well, it wasn't strange at all. He knew they were listening in on his private conversation and that's when he confirmed it. The interrogation began. Because he didn't know what they had planned for him, he figured he would just play along until he caught on. Then he would maneuver his way out of whatever situation was presented.

The man chuckled whole heartedly. "Now, now. There's no need to jest. I'm sure a young man such as yourself has a more interesting way of spending an afternoon than in a stuffy room with boring old officers. Don't be modest. It's just a simple question. Perhaps you have something already planned?"

"I spend most of my personal time training." _Though not always myself_, _ironically_.

"Speaking of which, Itachi, how _do_ you prepare yourself for missions? Surely there must be some secret to your success?" This was said by another elderly man who bore charcoal grey hair, which at one point must have been a rich black color, age obviously beginning to catch up with him. He remembered working with him during the construction of the library of records. A wing added into headquarters during its renovation a few years back.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I just follow a simple training routine. It hasn't changed since my days at the academy." Which was true, there was nothing extraordinary about his training. He deduced that most of his abilities were raw talent. The only thing he really trained was his physique, which included basic muscle toning and cardiovascular activities—that and his accuracy training. Nothing out of the ordinary at all. But he didn't let this sway him. They were up to something. What was their angle?

"A lot must have changed since you've left the academy. You have a lot on your shoulders now, do you not?"

He noted this was coming from Inabi, someone more close to him in age. His hair was medium length and a deep chestnut hue, while his eyes were a dark penetrating brown. "No more than any of you do." Why didn't they just get straight to the point? He wasn't quite sure where they were going with this interrogation. They should just be direct and get it over with.

Fugaku realized his son was putting up quite a fight. Either he had all ready deduced what was going and was purposely avoiding an answer they desired…or he was truly clueless. This was Itachi, however, so the latter could not be the case, thus he decided to speed things along.

"It must be overwhelming, your shinobi responsibilities...as well as your _personal _ones."

Itachi's finger twitched momentarily. Whether anyone noticed or not was unsure. His face remained emotionless, though. So his father was interrogating him about his personal life. Well what exactly did he hope to gain from this? He thought back to all the activities he performed on his own. Would any of these jeopardize the clan or his position? Because surely that was all his father was worried about. But wasn't bringing all these men a little drastic? Unless his father was using them as a cover up or trying to gain a second opinion. But for what? He still couldn't fathom what they were so hyped up about. He trained on his own true, but why was this of any worry for them? Shouldn't they be ecstatic that he would continue his training? And on top of that, it was dangerous for a ninja to become lax. He trained with his brother on occasion. Shouldn't that also be important for the clan? Heck, he was surprised they didn't just make him an instructor. Life certainly would have been a lot less stressful. Handling kids was hard but at least instructors had guaranteed and _paid_ vacations.

_Okay, think what else have I done _besides _training_? Well he hung out with Shisui from time to time. They'd usually catch a movie, grab a quick bite to eat or…ah yes, train. And when he really thought about it, he realized how dull his personal life really was. So technically there was no need for them to worry. But that couldn't be all there was to his life.

He had…

From time to time he would…

Then there was…

And occasionally…

That was when it hit him. His life was truly pathetic. At least, for someone who supposedly had everything going for him. Even with the very few friends he had all he really did was further his training. Shisui and even Usagi…

_Usagi!_

Was this all about _her_? Had his father figured out about what he did in his personal time? Was he trying to force him to admit it? That had to be the case, meaning he didn't know the full story—that he secretly trained with Usagi during some of his "intermissions." He admitted that being with her was a way to escape from the chaos of his life; however there were other reasons for training her. He saw the potential she had as a kunoichi and knew that power would come in handy for the village some day. On top of that, it furthered his own capabilities because Usagi was about the only other ninja that had the flexibility, speed and maneuverability to keep up with him. Every time they sparred, his body was filled with a surge of adrenaline that excited him endlessly. He deduced it was from deprivation of a worthy opponent in so long. And yes, there was also that incident back on his roof and his bathroom. But that was a story for another time. He shifted uncomfortably in having recalled it. He had been trying to forget the latter since, if only for the sake of their friendship. So the question was, did his clan find out about Usagi and was now trying to forbid him from continuing his exercises with her? He still needed to wait before drawing his final conclusion, and possibly finding a way to continue hiding her.

Well it wasn't exactly like he really _wanted_ to hide Usagi from the clan; it was purely out of necessity. In reality, he knew that his father would immediately disapprove friendships outside the clan, at least when they deterred his personal goals of parading his son around like a trophy. And being sucked into his world was daunting; being under the constant scrutiny of the clan, family and worse, his father. He couldn't subject her to that or unnecessary pressure. She had her own life to worry about

And for once, he had something the clan couldn't touch. Something outside the hellhole that he could hold onto. It was a brilliant escape and one he enjoyed indulging in frequently. The thought of doing something completely unrelated to his family was enough to put him at ease when he was around her. With Usagi, he didn't have to worry about politics, power, corruption or rivalry. With Usagi he didn't have to fulfill any duties, write any reports or partake in annoying meetings. He didn't even have to maintain his stoic attitude. As time went on, he found he could relax around her. There was no need to carry on the shinobi persona. With her, he didn't have to act the proud captain he was. He didn't have to carry out the duties expected of the heir to the Uchiha clan. He needn't carry on the face of a genius or prodigy. No, around her, he was simply Itachi. And the more he thought about having to relinquish that feeling, the more hesitant he became of exposing their friendship. Which was why he commanded her to keep it all a secret, since the very beginning.

"We understand that as a young man you have your personal life to attend; however, please don't forget the duties you have for your clan and that they take priority. We don't mean to lay anymore pressure on you, but the unity of this branch is very important, especially to the foundations of this village." This was said by Yashiro. He didn't want Fugaku to start spouting accusations about Itachi forsaking the clan, which to this point could not be proven true. Instead, he kept the conversation direct but light.

Itachi threw out all his thoughts about Usagi. It wasn't her at all. What did the unity of the clan have to do with her? This was something completely irrelevant to the girl. And so they hadn't figured out exactly what he did, but they were still holding their own suspicions just the same. The words, unity, priority and personal life stood out and he let the ideas swirl in his head. The man's frown was of genuine worry but an accusative tone was underneath it all just the same. It's true he often disappeared without word or warning and didn't come back for several days at a time but that was to be expected of an Anbu official. And when he did separate from his team, he made sure his family knew he was safe and that his whereabouts did not breach any regulations, such as straying too far from the village by illegal means and for ill purposes. _Ill purposes,_ his mind whispered. Perhaps, they were suspicious of just that. He didn't think he gave them the impression of doing illegal acts. He narrowed his eyes at his father who was looking at him accusingly. Nothing made sense to him anymore, but deciding that a fight was not worth it, he simply nodded silently.

All the while, Fugaku studied his son carefully who remained expressionless as always. He couldn't decide what was more difficult: getting information out of his son or the time he had to take his chuunin exam with one slightly broken arm and a fractured femur.

"All right everyone. Food's here. I brought Makunouchi-ben from the convenience store. And oh, Itachi-san, I got you some ayu sushi in your obento. You like sweet things don't you?"

He would gladly relive the latter. And with a defeated sigh, Fugaku regarded his colleague's obvious dense head. Apparently he didn't understand the concept of _discreet._

"Ah…" was all Itachi said as he grabbed a water bottle and began to drink it slowly. There was something about the way he asked that question that seemed rather suspicious. He grabbed his bento and began to eat his food in silence.

"So Itachi, doing anything _special_ this weekend?"

Apparently the clan had other plans. And why did it seem as if they were watching him eat? He grabbed another piece of his fish and noted that a few eyes were actually following the path his chopsticks took. He tested this again by going to grab another piece and had the same eyes following his movements subtly. What was so interesting about his eating utensils all of a sudden? "None… at all…."

The man cleared his throat. "Well I myself am headed to Kirigakure. On a mission there actually, with my squad. But you know…at times…" He huddled closer to Itachi as if he were whispering the secrets of a forbidden scroll. "…I wish I could just go there alone. Now, just between you and me, don't you ever get the urge to just…you know…?"

No he didn't know, and he really didn't _want_ to know. The conclusions he drew earlier resurfaced in his mind and for some reason it made him sick to think that anyone would think ill of his intentions. While in the academy, kids used to point fingers at him and call him weird things like freak and psycho. It hurt more than he would admit to anyone. As he grew older, other members of the clan began to show their distaste for him openly. They called him a brat and assured he cheated his way into any position he achieved. And while he worked hard to earn respect, it appeared his hard work was spat back in his face. After all these years, he still wasn't trusted. On top of that, the man's talk was beginning to ruin his appetite.

"Well, _leave. _I mean doesn't the thought of just leaving this place and going out on your own sound exciting? Like an adventure, a new chapter of your life."

"Not particularly…" Itachi replied as he stuffed another clump of sushi in his mouth. At least if he kept eating, he had a legitimate excuse not to engage in the conversation.

"Come on, not even a _tiny_ bit curious what it would be like without the pressures of the village? Away from the clan, away from the work. Think about it, you wouldn't have a single care in the world."

Away from the clan…oh he thought about that every now and then. He just had to look at his father and he was reminded of all the hardships he put up with just to please him. But to leave the village? His home since birth? He loved it here and to abandon his brother and comrades for selfish desires? The idea was unfathomable. Even if they did have their distrust of him, he had to put the safety of the village and its inhabitants first. Many people relied on him whether they cared to admit it or not. "Not at all."

Fugaku was watching this whole scene transpire before him. He glanced over at Itachi, wanting him to admit to swaying away from the clan. The man he was talking to was rather bold in his direct approach. But he had to admit, he had gotten more information from his son in five minutes than any of his other colleagues had all morning. At first he figured his angle was too obvious but reluctantly allowed it and was glad he did. Itachi's expressions were more earnest. He shifted nervously once and his eyebrows even managed to scrunch. He must have realized they were onto him. The way he ate his food slowly and watched the other people warily were obvious signs of a guilty conscious, especially when his voice sounded unsure at one point. On top of that, his defensive state earlier in regards to other clans, his immediate dismissal to focus on the shadier characters in the next chuunin exams. It was all beginning to connect now. And this recent conversation confirmed it. Itachi was in cahoots with another group or worse, clan. Now that he knew what the problem was, he would have to regroup with the others and come up with a plan to tackle this issue. No sense in trying to do it all at once. And then hopefully it would put things in perspective for Itachi so he could continue to serve his clan loyally.

Itachi finished chewing the sushi slowly as more of his colleagues continued to pick up conversations with others. Paying no mind to them, he glanced back at his father who was, once again, staring at him. He gave the piece one final chew before he swallowed it down painfully slow, even hearing the internal gulping noise as it traveled down his throat. And he frowned in distaste, his father having effectively killed the wonderful flavor of his fish. A fraction of a minute ensued in which the two glared at one another in a heated contest of intimidation. And it ended as soon as Fugaku opened up his bottled water and swallowed the contents down.

"Oi, Itachi. You alright?"

He glanced back over at Akinori, the man from before. "Sour."

"Eh?"

"This piece is sour."

"Strange, ayu is supposed to be sweet, right?"

"Mmm."

"All right everyone, break's over. Let's wrap this up now. We still have just a bit more work to do."

Good. He was glad break was over, ironic as it sounded. He was tired of being harassed by the other participants of this meeting and if going back to business was the only escape from it, so be it. And the rest of the meeting went on without more interrogation or suspicious observations. And Itachi, while grateful, was now concerned as well. If the interrogation stopped, it meant that they already gathered the information they felt necessary. But in a way, he did give them what they probably wanted when he surrendered the argument without so much as any type of defense on his part. But now what? Was he to expect some type of repercussion? It was always like that, getting punished for something he didn't do. And what was worse was that he always accepted punishment as if he _was_ guilty. It was a vicious cycle. But it was his fault; he never put up a fight against it.

He sat quietly as the meeting progressed and just as he suspected, there were no more questions directed at him.

And after just forty-five minutes, the meeting finally came to an end. They wrapped up some other private matters regarding security in the Uchiha compound and a rotation of watch guards. But other than that, nothing else was of extraordinary significance, nor did it pertain to him. So Itachi listened carefully for an official order for the meeting to be adjourned. And just like a child at the academy, he counted the seconds until he was finally released from his prison. He had just a couple hours before Sasuke was done playing with his friend and he, for once, actually had the leisure time to help his brother. With business done for the day, he was very much looking forward to forgetting all the tension in the meeting and just enjoying the afternoon with Sasuke before he left for his mission with his squad. So when his father called out to him to tell his mother that he would return home by dinner, Itachi merely agreed to do so with a wave of his hand, not once looking back. And he walked leisurely around the town, ready to kill some time with his newly found hobby.

* * *

The sounds of sizzling steam reverberated throughout the establishment as more pressure from the hot water began pouring into the pools. The air was dense with mist, making it difficult to see. But that was the allure and mystique of a bathhouse, as well as the daily special aroma. And it was obvious from the tiny hint of a scent picked up that today was citron. It was the perfect stress reliever since the salts were designed to relieve shoulder pain and fatigue, which was why the bath houses were especially active during midweek; the peek of the week and the peek of stress. And during those days, the baths were full of mostly full-time mothers waiting for a chance to catch a little rest and relaxation from the taxing job that is raising a family. It was the perfect time to socialize with others of the same occupation or as Mikoto saw it, the perfect time to catch up on the latest gossip.

She gathered a few items together in her basket and walked leisurely down the hall to the woman's bath. Clinging to her towel tightly, she gracefully cascaded down the steps and submerged her body completely in the steaming water. She watched as a few close friends of hers did the same, conveniently arriving just as she entered. Or rather, arriving precisely as she timed it. And as she glanced at the face of one particular woman, she smiled and sighed in relief because if anyone could help her in her situation, it would be none other than Yamanaka Yuriko. She was one of the most social and well-informed members of the Yamanaka clan, and all of Konoha for that matter—a typical busy body and social butterfly. Even listening in on her chatting right into the water, she already learned of several secret affairs between ninjas of whom she was very well acquainted. Mikoto watched as two others joined in the bath, conversing along with Yuriko about their responses to these affairs.

Yuriko was in her mid thirties, in a steady marriage with another Yamanaka and was someone who traveled abroad quite often. It was her business ties with daimyo, her charity work and social agendas that made her a well-informed ninja. Since her late teens, she used her trademark beauty to con people into giving up information. She often called it inadvertent charming, but Mikoto knew manipulation for its real form. After all, she used her inadvertent charm on Fugaku many times since she first met him as a child, even before they began dating.

On that note, she smiled lazily as she thought about how similar the Yamanaka were in every way. Physically, they all bore light tones and pale shades of blonde for hair. Emotionally and mentally, they were all extroverted, confident, and somewhat vain. But she supposed that last bit was no different than any other clan. After all, the Uchiha and Hyuuga weren't exactly the most humble collective of people when it came to anything—be it looks or power. But the difference was in demeanor. Uchiha, and Uchiha men to be more specific, were never as talkative, as chatty as the Yamanaka who made every effort to be the center of a conversation. But it was this brazen way of life that made them attractive not just in appearance but personality as well. They didn't scare off people like most of her clan did by just a simple glance. Even the Hyuuga knew how to carry light conversation. Uchiha may have been high in lineage, but they still had a long way to go in the communication department.

And the thought of Hyuuga clicked in her mind as she glanced over to Yuriko's right side. There was Maemi, her de facto sidekick. Maemi inherited the Hyuuga's physical appearance—dark glossy hair and the crystal light eyes of the byakugan. She was always one step behind Yuriko in every way which wasn't a surprise considering they were both members of the same cell team back when they were young children. They had stuck together ever since.

And Maemi was one that proved her point about Hyuuga. She was much more talkative and outgoing, very similar to Yuriko. Whether this was an adapted personality from being around her best friend for years or an inherited trait, she had no idea. But it proved just the same that the Hyuuga could at least be trained to socialize properly. She would be lucky if she could get her sons to take the initiative in a greeting and at least say hello first. And she scowled slightly as she thought about how an 'oi aho' didn't constitute as a hello. Honestly, where did she go wrong with those two?

It was then her eyes rolled slightly to the right and caught sight of someone over Yuriko's left shoulder. It was Kaioh Michiru. In the bathhouse, her body seemed to blend right on in with the water. It was the teal eyes and matching hair that gave her an aquatic aura of elegance. Michiru was unlike them in that she was a socialite from abroad. Originally from Kirigakure, she was only recently acquainted with most of them—about four years or so. And more contrasting was her age, for Michiru was far much younger—early twenties in fact. But she carried herself with so much grace and maturity that when they all congregated together in public places, the age gap all but diminished. After being around her for even a few minutes, it was obvious why she didn't socialize with others her age. It would be too degrading of her character in some ways.

"I saw Shisui with, yet, another pretty girl at his side. The boy seems to have found himself another conquest. Though I think it was a little too soon from his departure with Naoko but what can you do? The boy never grows up. His grandfather is going soft in his old age, what with not disciplining him and all."

"Men will be men. In anyway, that's not big news. Tell me he's celebrating his one year anniversary and _then_ I'll break out the wine glasses."

They all broke into a fit of giggles and Mikoto laughed along with them. Yes, Shisui's reputation wasn't exactly a well guarded one.

Yuriko glanced over towards Mikoto with her arms still crossed and a small smile on her face. "But I suppose big news to hear would also be Mikoto's eldest son celebrating his one _day_ anniversary. So tell us Mikoto, any luck in that department? Your son is at that perfect age in his life. Ripe and well harvested yet left unpicked from the tree. You aren't hoarding him all to yourself now, are you? As I've seen you do with young Sasuke."

Mikoto laughed. She supposed in some ways, her attachment with her children was, within its own right, an unguarded fact itself. "In my defense, ninja or not, Sasuke is still a twelve year-old boy but yes, I suppose I do spoil him a bit. However, that's not the case with Itachi. He was already an adult in my eyes by the time he took his first chuunin exam. But to say that his focus on work eases my worry about his future would be a lie."

Maemi raised an eyebrow. "Meaning…?"

"Well, I can't help but wonder if my son has any other interests outside of duty."

"You mean interest in women. Am I correct?"

It was no wonder why Yuriko was the best at what she does.

"Yes."

Yuriko gave a long sigh before relaxing further into the water. "Yes, Itachi is indeed a peculiar one. Now, don't go berserk on us, but rumor has it that Itachi's taste don't necessarily run towards women."

"I hope you're not suggesting what I think you are."

"Calm down. It's just a rumor being tossed around. That's all. It's what happens when a man has gone without a woman as long as Itachi has. You have to admit, he shows more interest in men. You can count the number of women involved in his life on one hand, yet the number of men is in abundance."

Maemi shook her head in mild amusement. "Come now, Yuriko. That's no way of thinking. It's how nasty rumors are spread. Itachi's association with those men is strictly professional, you know that. In any way, he puts up with most of those men out of duty, not will. Besides, with as much responsibility as he has, it's no wonder he doesn't have the time for any kind of affair. You should be proud of your son's discipline, Mikoto."

She smiled warmly. "Oh, I am."

Yuriko offered a mischievous wink to Mikoto. "If it is women in his life you're worried about, then you needn't. I'm sure his fan club can fill that spot in easily enough."

Mikoto rubbed her temple at just that very thought. "My poor boy does his best to avoid them whenever he can. You should have seen his face when Fugaku forced him to socialize with a few girls from the Uchiha clan back when he first made it to Anbu. I swear; it was like being back at the Academy." She thought about how Fugaku forced Itachi to say hello to them. He shyly mumbled a meek hello and flinched when just one word caused those girls to giggle indefinitely and follow him around afterwards in failed concealment; it made Itachi uncomfortable and she wondered if maybe it was forced situations like that which made him uneasy around females.

"Actually, now that you mention it…"

Everyone turned to Michiru who until now had been pretty much silent—watching with interest as they discussed Mikoto's son and his personal life.

"It was awhile ago, maybe a year or so. But I vaguely recall your son talking to a young girl of whom I've never been acquainted."

They all watched with sudden curiosity as she continued.

"It was a young, fair-haired girl. She couldn't have been but maybe a couple years younger than him," Michiru continued and hid her smile well as everyone was transfixed on every word she was saying.

"Michiru, you've been holding out on us!" Maemi's towel almost fell from her excitement.

"Yes do go on, Michiru. This is most intriguing." Yuriko's eyes glistened in fascination. This would be the juiciest gossip to date.

Michiru continued as soon as she saw that Mikoto was silently begging for more information. "As I was saying, the girl was fairly young. Beautiful, of course. As expected of Itachi's refined tastes. I was walking in the market at the time, getting some fresh fish I needed for my dinner when I spotted a robed Anbu operative in the corner of the alley. Had it not been for my small hesitation earlier with the vender, my timing may have been off and I would have surely missed it. But I did see an Anbu, and I recognized that mask to be your son's, Mikoto. He was conversing with that young lady. If I recall correctly, their conversation was regarding directions."

"What's so significant about that? The girl could have genuinely wanted directions. Itachi's timing led him there. If anything he was probably on a mission." Maemi wasn't too convinced about this piece of detail.

"I found it suspicious. It didn't appear to me that she was wanting directions at all."

Yuriko pondered on that a bit, thinking of several possibilities. "Are you sure it wasn't one his fan girls? She could've been trying to ask for directions as a means of talking to him."

Maemi giggled. "Yuriko has a point. I've seen them do it all the time. They'll whisper to each other and plan an 'accidental' bump into him. Then they use it as a way to speak to him. Pretty juvenile if you ask me."

"I don't know. They seemed to recognize one another. And there was also that look."

Yuriko rolled her eyes. "All girls swoon over Itachi."

They all laughed except for Michiru who was debating something and Mikoto who was assessing her facial expressions for any signs of sincerity.

"It was how he looked at _her._"

It fell silent afterwards as they all stared at Michiru intently. Not once had Uchiha Itachi gave any recognition to even being attracted to a female. The fact that he was fascinated with one was remarkable.

Michiru leaned back against the edge of the bath. After letting out a small sigh of content, she closed her eyes and reopened them again. Every girl was staring at her, waiting in suspense for her to continue her story. And so, she raised the back of her palm to her mouth and fell in a fit of giggles. "As if something like that would really happen!"

And the room was filled with laughter once again.

"You really had us going there, Michiru!"

"Such a cruel joke to play on poor Mikoto. Don't take it too personal, Mikoto."

"I-I won't," Mikoto replied—laughing half-heartedly. She could've sworn that Michiru was being sincere.

And the rest of the conversation went on without more teasing on her son's love life or lack thereof. And while she appreciated not being the source of the joking anymore, she couldn't help but feel depressed at the thought that her son really didn't have anyone special in his life. She was hoping there would be some kind of juicy gossip to a possible love affair but if even Yuriko didn't know of anyone then it was safe to say that her son was as celibate as a monk.

Her hand fisted under the water. No. That couldn't be it. Itachi was a master of stealth. Being in Anbu had trained him for that. If he did have anyone in his life, it wouldn't be hard to keep her a secret. And though Michiru may have been jesting, perhaps she was on to something. Perhaps her son _did _find ways to sneak around with a girl by exchanging secret codes. And even though she didn't gain any useful information from the other women to solidify her theory, there was still that nagging feeling that told her something was definitely up with her son. And the idea that a woman was involved still refused to leave her mind. This was not something that could be handled by a gossip chain in a bathhouse. No. It was something she would have to go to the source to unveil. Maybe she wasn't the most perceptive and analytical ninja in the world, but she knew she was on the trail of some well kept secret.

Call it a mother's intuition.

* * *

The primary basics of a shinobi are to eradicate any traces of presence and to remain concealed at all times—particularly during a mission.

Itachi remained stoic in his position, body tense in caution. He surveyed his surroundings carefully and perched quietly on a rooftop. He observed the villagers casually walking in a large clutter. At first glance, it appeared as if the people were moving chaotically, bumping into one another in a messy fashion. But upon closer inspection, he noted that some people began to form paths and tended to stick to one side as they moved in a particular direction, as though an invisible road was formed. In this way, the crowded people seemed less chaotic and more organized. He halted any further thoughts from this observation, however, noting that it wasn't always wise to be so observant on every situation that he came across. He was a man on a mission and so he continued from rooftop to rooftop.

He took one look at his surroundings and noted the stealthiest path he would take from his particular position. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his nerves in order to decrease his chakra level. This would make it harder to be detected by anyone, even a shinobi of similar rank. The last thing Itachi wanted was for his presence to be detected before he finished his hunt, especially when his father obviously had someone following his trail. How predictable. Quietly, he jumped down into a dark alley and continued in panther-like movements. Because of the sun's position, Itachi did not cast a single shadow. This was entirely planned, of course. He could have no one follow him.

Prowling through the darkness, he noted how eerily quiet it got. This would make stealth moves a lot more difficult to execute since there was not any noise for cover. Glancing at the ground, he made sure not to follow any paths marked with pebbles or granite lest he make any unnecessary sounds. When light shone through, right past his left shoulder, he knew he was reaching the open road again. Keeping his back to the brick wall while remaining in the shadows, he allowed only a subtle movement of his head to look behind him.

Sure enough, his target was in sight and right on time. Mentally priding in his meticulous calculations succeeding once again, Itachi watched from afar as his target began to close in on him…seven meters…three meters…and sure enough, in less than eight point two seconds, the target passed right by his checkpoint.

Smirking to himself he kept a careful eye on his prey and followed carefully while remaining in the shadows of the alleyways. His target was walking casually, without a trace of suspicion or worry. He scowled in disapproval at such carelessness and made a mental record of it. Itachi now watched as the said person disappeared into a confectionary store. It would be too obvious to wait right next to the building, and he wanted to maintain the target in frontal view. Thus he settled on the opposite building in front and hid behind an advertisement billboard of the latest Paradise installment.

His calm black eyes darted to and fro, watching for any suspecting shinobi. It was a man, he knew that much. About a few good meters away from him and it was obvious this shinobi had no idea where _his_ target was by the way his face searched his entire surroundings frantically. Itachi had apparently eluded him well. If his father, who he suspected was the one that sent him, had wanted to track his son's whereabouts, he should have hired a more experienced shinobi of equal caliber. How unfortunate for him that he was assigned to one of the most elusive ninja in Konoha. It wouldn't hurt to humor him though, so with one hand sign and a bit of chakra, which made the man instantly alarmed, Itachi summoned one shadow clone. The clone headed off in one direction and the man was instantly on his trail again.

Itachi shook his head in disappointment and looked back at the store just as the target exited. Once he was sure there was no one ready to spring at him from any direction, he continued his pursuit. Rooftop to rooftop, alley to alley…he moved just enough behind that he wouldn't be detected but not enough that he would stray off. But when he rounded a corner he realized she wasn't there. Had she detected his presence and was now hunting _him_? Impossible! She wasn't that advanced yet, was she?

He left the darkness of the alleyways and headed right into the bustling crowd of people. Ignoring the way they pushed at him every which way, he searched carefully for any signs of her. She couldn't have gone far, even with her speed. He was so sure in his calculations. And at that he had to smile. Maybe he wasn't the most elusive ninja in Konoha.

"Yo, Itachi! Long time no see!"

His body froze only briefly from the contact. Just a few seconds of reflecting on a few ideas had apparently been enough to put him at ease and be caught completely off guard. But as usual, he would never admit it or show it for that matter. And so he casually turned around to the figure that tapped his shoulder and found himself with someone of whom he was very well familiar.

"Shisui, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you. It's highly unlike you to go shopping in the middle of the afternoon. Especially when I know you were planning on meeting your little brother in about a few hours."

"Ah…"

So…" he trailed off and leaned heavily on him, trying to search in the direction Itachi was once focused. "Who are you trailing?"

"What?" Itachi feigned ignorance. But he should have known better than to try and lie his way out of his best friend's grasp. Because Shisui wasn't swayed at all, and he rolled his eyes exaggeratingly.

"I know you too well by now to recognize the patented 'Itachi-stealth-mode."

"Then I guess the question really is why _you're_ following _me_?"

Shisui smiled innocently. "I'm bored."

"Hmm."

He smiled and gave him a good pat on the back. "Keep me entertained and tell me who you're trailing, sexy ninja master."

He frowned in disdain at the nickname. Every time his fan girls came up with a new phrase to coin him, Shisui never let the opportunity to tease him about it escape. One time it was the immortal sex god, next was the Uchiha prince. It was downright humiliating and he hated being reminded of it. But if he played into Shisui's hands and showed as much irritation as he felt, it would only worsen matters. And so he just continued along as if he hadn't heard the nickname at all. "You're mistaken, and it's somebody on _my _trail anyway."

He looked at Itachi with obvious disapproval at his response but continued anyway. He could always find out later about his best friend's true intentions. "So you were trying to lose someone, then. Am I correct?"

"Ah…"

"Then let me guess, your father's got something up his sleeve."

"That obvious?"

"Your father is hardly unpredictable nor subtle in his motives. Or perhaps we're just too observant." He chuckled and motioned for Itachi to follow him, and the two headed over to a newsstand. Shisui grabbed a small paper and began reading its contents. "For instance, the other day they were discussing about the upcoming chuunin exams. They're hoping, or rather planning, on having your brother participate. They want him to do more intense training to prepare him against the byakugan but you know they just want him to show off Hyuuga Neji. It's all a ploy to make us look good."

"Yes, I know. I was at a recent meeting about it."

Shisui's eyes lost focus on the contents of the paper as he pondered about that last statement. "You went to a chuunin exam meeting?"

"Yes, just today. Quite tedious. It didn't feel as if my presence was at all required." And as he thought about it in retrospect, they never once asked him anything they couldn't already figure out on their own. In fact, most of the questions seemed like something an academy teacher would ask his or her students just to see if they were paying attention. And now that he remembered, he realized he still couldn't decipher what they had supposedly figured out or wanted. His conclusions linked to that of betrayal but perhaps that was stretching it too far? Maybe he calculated that all wrong. It was all perplexing and unnerving. What the hell was going on?

"Hmm." Shisui said nothing more but instead, opted to read his newspaper. "That's quite intriguing. But unfortunately I have bigger problems on my plate."

"What's that?" Itachi redirected his focus and threw a few coins over at the vender. He reached over to a rack and picked up some of his own selected materials.

"I've got a date this evening but I'm not sure where I should be taking her. Nothing's playing right now." He chuckled. "Well unless she doesn't object to watching that new Icha Icha Paradise movie. But somehow I don't think she'll fully enjoy it like we would, eh?" he elbowed Itachi suggestively but was easily dismissed. "Well, then I guess I could take her out to eat…"

Itachi simply rolled his eyes as he flipped open the newspaper in haste, wanting to avoid the topic altogether. Shisui's chatter continued, and he tried tuning it out completely. He decided that the renovation on the new Kabuki theatre was much more appealing at the moment.

"Hey! I told you to listen to me!" Shisui grabbed the paper from him to which Itachi was extremely displeased.

"I was reading that," and yet he made no effort to grab his paper back. There was no way he was reducing himself to squabbling with Shisui like a child.

"And I'm sure the Kabuki theatre is looking remarkably exquisite right now but my dilemma demands immediate attention."

He stifled a laugh but even Shisui could see the amusement in his eyes and so Itachi didn't bother to hide the small smile that formed. Shisui reminded him very much of someone else of who had grown familiar to him. "Then take her out to eat."

"You think that's the best option?"

"Ah. At least with your face stuffed, she can be spared the excruciating task that is listening to you."

There was no pain from the receiving end of that comment. Instead Shisui threw his head back and released a deep rich chuckle. "Quick wit never dies with you, does it? Anyway, anything else you want to share about your life?"

He reached over for his paper and pulled it open again. "Nothing since the last time I saw you. Had some missions, did some paper work at HQ. Same old, same old."

Shisui half pouted. "Your life sucks. It's boring."

"It's calm," he corrected. "With all the chaos in my life right now, the last thing I need is pointless drama."

"You're taking this all too well. I've been meaning to ask, though. What is your outlet?"

"Outlet?"

"Well with all the chaos in your life, as you yourself have put it, surely you have a way to alleviate the stress."

"Yes, ignore it."

He shook his head and sighed. " All you do in your down time is brood in your room. So seriously, what have you got hidden? Meds? Alcohol? Drugs?"

Itachi took one index finger and skipped over to the entertainment section, and when a full-page advertisement of the recent Icha Icha movie appeared, he flipped again. "None of the above."

"You know, I'm almost beginning to lose all hope in…you." He frowned as he peered over Itachi's shoulder which in turn earned his friend's immediate attention.

"What?" Itachi looked up from his paper and turned his head around when he realized that Shisui was no longer paying any attention to him. Shisui's eyes were completely focused beyond him and he watched him intently, wondering what had caught his interest. His eyes darted in every direction but couldn't see at what he was looking. Yet for some reason, his heart beat sped up just a tad.

"I knew it!"

He froze but said nothing as he tried to calm his heart rate. He felt like a guilty kid that didn't even commit a crime. Why did he feel like he'd been caught? It wasn't like he did anything. What did he know? "Know what?"

Shisui placed one hand on his shoulder and gently pushed Itachi away as he reached over to another rack and pulled out a colorful book. He flipped through the pages and smiled. "This is the newest issue of Tasogare Senshi! I've been wondering when it was about to come out!" He handed a few Ryo over to the man for his purchases and glanced over at Itachi who scowled visibly. "What? Whatever is in this…" he tapped the book, "…is much more interesting than anything you'll find in any scrolls."

"I hardly believe that." Yes, Shisui was very much like Usagi in every way.

"I'm being completely serious here. I've learned so many life lessons from the heroine. The protector of mankind and the fighter of love and justice. On top of that she's got killer moves. I actually found myself jotting down notes so I can use them in battle." He made a few air slashes and saw that Itachi was just shaking his head in response.

"It's childish. I would expect it of a ten-year old, but a grown man such as yourself reading manga…it's downright degrading."

"I swear…people just don't appreciate the artistic design of manga!" He threw the book over at Itachi who in turn opened it up to skim through. "It's more than just a colorful book, you know? Everyone could learn from Serenity. She's kind and honest, sincere and passionate. She never gives up in battle and stays firm on her beliefs."

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he skimmed over the pages. A small smirk grew on his face after looking through it and glancing at the author's name on the front cover. Honestly, the old pervert never changed. Hiding his sick hobby behind the clever ruse of a champion fighter of peace. And apparently Shisui caught on to his thoughts because he was suddenly snatching the book back and hiding it in the pockets of his uniform.

"Alright then! I read it because I think she looks hot. There, are you satisfied now?"

"Tch. I feel sorry for Masako-san. To have to put up with you. "

Shisui hesitated momentarily before the statement finally registered. Apparently he was a little behind in his own updates on life. He rubbed the back of his head nervously, knowing full well what his friend would think of it. "Yeah, well…I'm kind of not…dating her anymore."

This didn't surprise Itachi at all who merely sighed. "Then who is it this time? Naoko-san?"

"First of all, I'm dating Reika right now. And for your information, Naoko and I are just friends." And when Itachi obviously showed his distrust in that, he felt the need to continue. "Seriously, I was just helping her out with some studies. You think I'll just have a go with anything female or what?"

"Yes."

"Ouch." He faked a kunai through his heart. "Right through there, man. I always knew you were going to be the end of me someday."

He frowned.

"I'm just joking! Lighten up. In anyway, at least I am utilizing _my_ youth. When was the last time you got any? I'm starting to think that's why you're so grumpy all the time." He waved a disapproving finger to and fro. "Even the doctor would agree with me that pent up sexual frustration is bad on the body."

He decided to cut the conversation right there. Topics like these never settled easy with him. And so he came up with the easiest excuse to get rid of him. "If I recall correctly, you have duties to perform right now back at the station. Shouldn't you be heading off to take care of them before your date?"

He frowned. It was obvious he was being discarded away for the moment. Itachi had lost his patience with him and he wondered why so soon. Usually, he would put up with way more than this silly banter. But he smirked and shrugged it off. He knew whenever he would overstay his welcome. "Fine, jerk. I'll leave. In anyway, I have to head over to meet the captain. I've got a report to hand in from last night's guard duty. Can you believe it? Of all the things I could have been assigned, they stuck me with grunt work. I was lucky I made it through the night without snoring. It was such a waste of time."

"I wish those were my only problems…" Itachi muttered under his breath.

Shisui chuckled, having heard that and gave Itachi one good hit on the shoulder as he began to walk off. "Wish me luck!" He winked.

"Ah…" Itachi watched as his friend vanished around the corner and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't quite sure which was worse: the fact that Shisui managed to sneak up on him without detection or the fact that there was something oddly suspicious about that smile on his face as he disappeared from his vision.

* * *

"I didn't like the look on his face."

"And did you see how nervous he was? If we actually laid the pressure on him we might have been able to make him sweat!"

"Not to mention how defensive he got when we brought up all that talk about the exams. Don't you agree, captain?"

"Ah. He seemed a bit too quick to respond at the mention of other clans. Then he tried to deter our concentration on them by focusing on the less significant participants. On top of that, he came up with a perfectly logical explanation in order to make it a legitimate claim. He's making sure to cover every corner so that we'll be lured into a false sense of security, and then he'll be able to maneuver his way out of the situation just as easy."

"On top of that, he seemed to submit too easily at our accusations. And that made me uneasy as well. The little brat is obviously up to no good. Don't forget, this is Itachi we're talking about. He could be trying to throw us off by giving us exactly what we want."

Everyone murmured signs of agreement to Inabi's conclusion. It was no hidden fact that he held a particular distaste for Itachi since the boy became jounin and soon after that, an Anbu. Once he heard of this particular project, he was immediately onboard. He knew that Itachi held some deep secret; no one could excel that quickly. He was probably training in secret with someone else, or even clan. And that made him a liability to the family.

"Now the question is, how do deal with it?" Yashiro wiped his old pocket watch carefully while he awaited some suggestions. "Should we expose him and _then_ try to rectify the situation by putting him through special assignments and training? Or should we just skip right to the retraining and hope that clears up the problem. If we expose him, there's a chance he could flee and then we'll have accomplished nothing."

"No, we need more information. We can confirm as of now that something is wrong in accordance with an alien affiliation but not necessarily that he's deserting the clan because of it. If we move too fast then we have nothing to pin on him and that's his escape route. We need to observe him more carefully."

"Then I suggest you send someone else."

Everyone turned around to the man that just entered the room. He looked worn out and just simply tired. His hair was in disarray and several patches of dirt covered his face. It had been a horrible trailing experience on his part.

"Tekka! How did it go?"

"Forgive me captain. But your son was aware I was following him. He distracted me with a clone and I lost complete sight of him." Tekka bowed his head in shame.

"As expected of my son. You're relieved of your duties." He waved the boy away, knowing full well that he wanted to wash up.

It was then that an idea hit Yashiro. "What about Shisui? Next to Itachi, Shisui is the most talented shinobi in the Uchiha clan. He too has the Sharingan and is about the only person that can fight on par with Itachi. I heard that even Itachi can't always detect Shisui's movements. Not to mention they're close friends. If anyone can get any information out of Itachi, it has to be him."

Fugaku gave a small hint of surprise. Of course, he should have realized the solution much sooner. "It sounds like a promising idea. I will personally go to Shisui and enlist his help. If I make it an official order, he won't be able to refuse. This is for the sake of our clan after all. Now, are we all in agreement?"

They responded with simple nods and adjourned the meeting, heading off to finish their real work.

Tekka watched from the hallway as all the men were beginning to depart from the room. He sighed. He hadn't meant to be so useless to the captain. But his skills in tracking were apparently much too inferior for an Anbu captain. He should have known he would have failed. But he needn't be so pessimistic by comparing himself to Itachi. Hardly anything stood a chance against him. Knowing he needed a change of pace, he headed over to the vending machine to grab himself a drink. But he watched as another officer beat him to it.

Shisui slipped in a few coins and impatiently tapped the machine as the annoying sounds of buzzing indicated that his desired item was being slowly discarded through the slot. He hated waiting more than a few seconds just to get some decent snack foods. And as soon as the item dropped, he hastily retrieved it and began eating. He needed something to kill the time until the captain came out from his meeting.

"Oi, Shisui!"

He turned around and found Tekka heading his way. "Yo, Tekka. What's taking the captain so long?"

He reached over to the machine and added a few coins in for his choice of beverage. "Chuunin exam meeting. He's just wrapping up some stuff."

Shisui's ears perked at the news. He found it odd that Itachi mentioned he was partaking in the meeting, and almost impossible to believe. For one, Itachi had to remain impartial to most of the training of the Uchiha for the exams. He was operating closely with the Hokage and any direct influence would look suspicious to other clans. Second of all, he had never once participated. The fact that they were allowing him now was strikingly intriguing and he was more than eager to do his fair share of prying information from Tekka. "Oi, Tekka. What's this I hear about Itachi participating in the meeting? He's never once attended any gathering involving the chuunin. Don't tell me the guy is stepping up to his future role of patriarch."

"Well, who knows? It was a decision made by the captain and the elder officers." He tried dismissing the issue and decided to grab himself a few salty snacks from the machine as well.

"Elder officers? Since when do elders care so much about such a thing? I mean I understand the future of these chuunin is important, but isn't calling in Itachi a bit too much? Ojiisan doesn't seem like the type to put him up to such small affairs. Besides, the old man is senile; you really shouldn't be trusting in his judgment at this day and age." He finished off with a small laugh.

Tekka frowned at having given away so much. But it wouldn't hurt for Shisui to be in the know. After all, his grandfather was the eldest of the clan and knew of this affair; and therefore, news would eventually travel back to him. "Well, the truth is…and this is between us alright?" When Shisui nodded in confirmation, he decided to pull him into a desolate corridor before continuing. "The captain brought in Itachi for investigation."

"Investigation? What the hell are you talking about? What's he done now?"

"Well, you've noticed Itachi's strange behavior, haven't you?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. He's been mostly himself lately. A little more guarded and reclusive, but that's nothing to worry about considering it's Itachi we're speaking of."

"But that's just it. His father has been talking about how out of control it's been getting."

Shisui raised an eyebrow at that. Itachi and 'out of control' in the same sentence just couldn't coexist. "I think you guys are taking this a little out of proportion."

"Not likely. I mean, the guy goes off on missions and doesn't come back for long periods of time, even after his squad has since long returned." He cut off Shisui before he could retaliate of how much it was expected of Itachi to be gone for any length of time at any such notice. "So how do you explain _that_?"

"So he wants time to himself. So what?"

"Captain finds it suspicious. Especially when he'll leave without so much as a word to his family. I mean, his father is one thing but his mother and Sasuke? You know how close Itachi is to those two. And as of late, he hasn't even so much as shared some quality time with them. Well, at least not as often as he used to."

"Look I get it okay. So he's been spending a little more alone time as of late. With all the stress he's been having, don't you think it's justified that he just wants to take a little break from so much contact with other people?"

"That's a little too much time, don't you think? And then sneaking off in the middle of the night. His mother gets worried sick the next morning sometimes when he never even bothered to show up for dinner or bed. Honestly, worrying his own mother; isn't that drawing the line?"

He gave a deep chuckle at the thought of how often he snuck out at night when he was even younger than Itachi. Good times. "That's no surprise. Guys his age sneak out all the time. I remember when I was his age. I used to sneak out all the time so I could…" His words died early as he thought about it. And giving one glance back to the exit doorway, it was all quite sudden when he drew a remarkable connection. "That little brat…unbelievable! All this time…"

"Eh. What is it?"

"Shisui!"

Tekka and Shisui were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Fugaku. With the discussion and plans finally put to rest, everyone was officially adjourned from the project.

"Captain, I have that report for you." He handed over a sealed scroll wrapped in parchment. It was actually nothing truly confidential but Uchiha always liked keeping everything a secret nonetheless. At least, the higher-ups did.

"Ah." And as he received the scroll and glanced at it and back at Shisui, Yashiro's previous comments came to mind. Other attempts to keep tabs on his son had failed, and mostly because he had been using what most would consider them to be, inferior shinobi. If he truly wanted to know more about Itachi's whereabouts, he needed to venture into more experienced ninja to accomplish that task. And Yashiro was right; Shisui was the best candidate for the job. "Shisui."

"Sir?"

"Come with me, I need to discuss something with you in private."

"Yes, captain." He gave one farewell nod to Tekka before following Fugaku into his office. He was slightly hesitant upon entering because only one of two things happened in his office, scolding and more work. And he had performed his last task flawlessly.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. As you may have noticed, my son has been displaying some erratic behavior as of late and this is of most concern not only to my family and me but to the entire clan as well. So I'm assigning you on a mission so confidential that not even my son must know about it."

"Sir?"

"Your mission is to keep a close eye on Itachi and find out his whereabouts. I have requested to the Hokage for him to have a temporary leave of absence for approximately a week so that he may focus on some work here at the station. Of course, this is all just a disguise. We're trying to pinpoint what Itachi is doing, and in order to do that, we need him in the village."

"So that if he tries to escape by claiming he has duties at Anbu, we'll know then it's not the case, correct?"

"Ah. If we catch him lying, we can really push for a full interrogation. We have our suspicions of what's going on right now that we just confirmed from the meeting. We suspect a possible cooperation with another clan. As you know, we cannot allow this. It is of upmost importance to eradicate this problem before it develops into something more serious. If Itachi is planning on deserting the clan, we can easily lure him back with the appropriate course of action. However, I wish to know more details as to what he's doing. So go and keep a close eye on him. Find out what he does at every moment you can. Itachi is good at stealth, so try to be cautious. He'll eventually catch on."

"Understood. I'll get right on it and get back with you as soon as I can truly confirm what it is he's doing."

"Good. In that case you're dismissed."

"Sir!" With one final salute, Shisui rushed out of the office and the building. This was the most exciting mission as of yet, and the first he would have readily volunteered to do. Even without Fugaku's orders. And so he headed off into the business district of town, the busiest section—as he prepared himself for some heavy investigation.

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**1. Ayu: **It is a sweet fish. And when I say sweet, I don't mean candy canes. Can be found in bento as sushi  
**2. Makunouchi-ben: **"In between" bento. Eaten during transmissions, hence the reason they're in the fic at that specific slot  
3. There are several OCs mentioned in here. But Tekka and Yashiro are not. As well as Inabi.

Well that's the end of that chapter. And it was long since due. The next chapter is 30 percent done but the outline of the events in there are completely finished. Just a lot of rewriting, editing, fine tuning, etc...

And the web of events further tangles. Does anyone in this story know what they're doing? It makes me wonder. Haha.

In the next chapter we have Sasuke up to try his luck. Let's see how it goes. And to everyone wondering, yes, Usagi will return in the next chapter. I guarantee it. She just didn't fit into this one so naturally I didn't force it.

Also, a few people have PMed me in regards to blood typing. I responded to one but decided I would rewrite it here. You can find further research of personality traits on your own but I have a chart compatibility made. There are SEVERAL variations and not all will agree to my typings. But I've based my charts on extensive research I've done for projects. This includes books and field study. I find field studies much more credible than the traditional books. One of the reasons being as there has been a mistake in coupling with compatibility typing. So my information is based on testimonials from several families (many Japanese and other Asians who are more firm on blood typing myths), records of past usage of the typing, second-hand research, and several studies of people. And when I say several, I'm talking in thousands, not just two or three. Based on my research and several ties with some Japanese families, I got this overall census.

**Type A:** They get along with other As in terms of work but not always relationships since they tend to fight over agendas. They prefer Bs for that since they can be more flexible. They do not like AB types typically since they cannot predict their behaviors. And Os can sometimes be to out of it for them. They prefer clean, neat, organized people like themselves. (They're the type who get anal if you move the remote out of place).  
**Type B:** They can get along with most blood typings for work so long as the job is always seen through the end. Occasionally in relationships, they will pair with A to help with stability but most of the time, they prefer to stick with only Bs and are the rare blood types that do. (They're the type who stay true to their word and insanely loyal most of the time).  
**Type AB:** These guys are tough. Type A and B find it hard to work with them at times because of their multi-personality. They find it very hard to predict their behaviors. ABs don't typically do well with other ABs because they are so shady. They'll spend most of the time being suspicious with another unless the moods match each other fine. Then they can get along. But if one AB is mad when the other is happy and vice-versa, it won't bode well in the relationship. The best they do well with in work and relationships are Os because Os are very flexible with behaviors since they fluctuate themselves. (Most villains tend to be this typing if that helps haha).  
**Type O:** They generally get along with everyone but sometimes, the courtesy is not returned. They remain cheerful nonetheless. As are good to help them balance out the fact that they are so careless and unorganized sometimes but relationships between the two can be strained. Bs tend to stick and trust only Bs but will enjoy the friendship of an O who will cheer them on to help them finish their goals. Type AB tend to be attracted to Os and vice-versa. Both personality traits have a "multi-personality." ABs have 2 personas whereas Os tend to just adapt meaning they are usually carefree but can become serious when the situation calls for it. This is what attracts ABs who need the flexibility. (A lot of blondes get this. Naruto being the rare exception haha)

To put things in perspective...

Usagi is an O and Itachi is an AB. See the compatibility?  
Naruto is a B type, and he stays true to his word right? And wants to see the battle through to the end right? Afterall, he still is hell-bent on bringing back Sasuke.  
Sakura is also an O like Usagi and she is pretty carefree and easygoing. Though I think she could have also passed on for an A type since she is very booksmart and keen on studying. Plus she's a neat freak but her boy crazy attitude kinda changes that haha.  
Sasuke is an AB and his personality is very much like Itachi in many ways. But that could also be the Uchiha line as I see most are AB or A typing. Genetics, but the personality traits are still there.

Remember this is all in fun like horoscopes so don't go breaking up with your BF just because your blood typings don't conform to 'standards'. I wouldn't break up with a guy because he was a bull-headed Taurus so why do it if he was an anal A-type? It's all in good fun. And interesting to study. So hope you enjoyed the little lesson. And like I said, other people will likely have their own versions. That's just how studies go. Theories can vary, like the Hierarchical Complexity theory.

* * *

**Preview of the Next Chapter **_(subject to editing)_

He disregarded following Usagi after Shisui intervened. She disappeared by then anyway. And so he walked to the training field, where he was scheduled to meet Sasuke, and waited patiently. Maybe it was still just training, more work in the eyes of anyone else. But being with his brother was much like his other two close friends—a distraction, an alleviation from the stress of work. And seeing his brother progress, knowing he helped out somewhat in his growth brought on a deep male pride within him. They may be rivals in the future, rivals even now, and someday Sasuke may grow competitive enough to actually feel resentment for him; but today, and each day after until that moment came, they were simply brothers.

When he saw a familiar set of spiky dark hair walking up towards him, he began to wave until he noticed Sasuke wasn't paying attention at all. There went that sinking feeling again.

* * *

Thanks to all readers who are still keeping up with this. It's inspiration to any writer. And all your reviews are greatly appreciated. I do take the time to read all reviews and PMs. They really help me get my creative juices flowing. I might forget some of you so I will thank all of you as one.

And once again,

Review if you like

_~Icehaze_


	3. II Nominal

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Sailor Moon, but I do pwn it. :3  
**Timeline:** Non Massacre, slighlty alternate  
**Author's Notes:** Oh wow, major hiatus on my part. I can't blame anything except the squash. Damn those squash. This chappy is major Sasu-cakes and Itachi. And as promised, the rabbit returns.  
**Warning:** Language and suggestive situations

* * *

**Nominal**

**

* * *

**

It honestly could have been anything-the flu, a slight neurological disorder, or even a bout of mild schizophrenia. After all, his big brother was showing several signs that he was indeed going insane, or at least suffering from vivid hallucinations. It could even quite possibly be some severe side effects of a previously transmitted genjutsu from an earlier mission. And if the extravagant amount of sweets he had been bringing home wasn't a clue, then surely his newfound interest outside the household was. But Itachi's health still wasn't the greatest concern circulating through his mind. It was the fact that his brother seemed to do everything possible to avoid returning home after any kind of duty. And he wondered if any of that behavior was a direct result of him. He could even be avoiding him if only to escape more responsibility. Every time he met with his brother, he demanded more training. Yet Itachi would always turn down the request and find a means to retreat; perhaps avoiding the situation altogether was much simpler?

Itachi's workload had increased intensely in the recent years and his leisure time was compromised as well. And yet, despite all reasoning, he was adamant that most of the stress was a result of his constant interference in Itachi's life. The guilt and self-inflicted fault of causing the stress repeated constantly in his head until Sasuke found that he could no longer focus on anything else. The trees surrounding him began to distort into odd monstrous shapes. The sky was suddenly receding away from him, shifting into a darkness that was only illuminated by small abnormal lights. His body began to lose its strength and soon enough, he felt completely isolated from reality. His missions didn't matter, training didn't matter, his team didn't matter and the memories of his beloved friends and family flashed sporadically before disappearing from the contents of his mind soon after. It was a complete surreal feeling of being in an entirely different world. The pain from the guilt was all too consuming. His breathing grew irregular; his eyes suddenly lost the power to stay open. And after taking only a few more steps forward, did he suddenly realize the newly cut grass below his feet was instantly smashed right against his cheek. And it wasn't until the blurry image of his friend rushing to his side did he realize the pain he was feeling was very much real.

"Damn it, Sasuke! You told me you were going to dodge!"

He voiced his irritation in a half groan, half slurred curse. After all, screaming never helped accomplish anything faster. "Shut up." In a sluggish attempt, he managed to hoist himself upright, sit lazily on the grassy meadow and survey his surroundings. A few minutes of regaining focus and consciousness brought Sasuke back to the reality of this current world. And it was then that he realized the excruciating pain on his arm. And only after removing the protective garment, did he see exactly how deep a wound it was. Of course, the excessive blood was already a major indicator.

"Damn, that looks worse than I thought it was."

He watched as Naruto sloppily bandaged up his wound while trying to shake the previous thoughts out of his head. He had never been one to be distracted, at least not in front of his teammates. It was embarrassing to say the least, that a common projectile, so easily avoidable by genin, was able to land such a deep slash on his arm. He blamed it on his brother. After all, if it weren't for him, he wouldn't be in such a predicament. And he frowned slightly at the thought, as well as the bleeding that still continued to pour out from the bandages. Naruto probably did try his best, but it simply wasn't sufficient. There had been absolutely no pressure added to his arm. The scared doe was probably too afraid to cause him any slight discomfort or pain. Useless.

Naruto watched as Sasuke reached over to his bag and pulled out the gauze, using his teeth to rip it open and begin reworking his bandaged right arm. The other bandages were tossed and he could see from the small pile, how much blood had been lost. It wasn't a shock that Sasuke fainted so quickly. It was quite the laceration. But he wondered how such a simple wound ended up on his friend. After all, Sasuke was never one to fall for small gimmicks, nor did he ever lose his focus in a battle. And yet today, he couldn't seem to get his focus on even one detail of the fight. He could tell from the beginning this was just one of those days.

"Wow, teme. You're pretty good at medical jutsu. Did your brother teach you this?"

Sasuke continued bandaging up the arm and hid it well behind his arm sleeve, casting a scowl upwards at him. "This isn't medical jutsu you idiot. It's first aid. And we learned it the first month at the academy."

"I knew that. I was just testing you."

"Whatever." He wondered why he got paired up with, what he considered, two fairly useless ninja. Naruto had the lowest scores in the entire graduating class. He barely knew any jutsu and was pretty weak in his physical attacks. On top of that, his speed, evasion and concealing abilities were fairly poor, even for a genin. Then there was Sakura who, much like Naruto, possessed no jutsu other than the standard transformation required of all academy students. She did, however, score top marks in tests; he gave her that much. In fact, she even beat his marks in the final outcome of the class top scores. It made him second place, which was something he still felt a little bitter about. Whether it was because she was female or because for once he wasn't number one, he didn't know. But most likely, it had a lot to do with his brother, for Itachi had always been the first in everything. First born, first in class, first to reach chuunin, first in the family to be in Anbu, but most importantly, the first to be cared for. And it didn't seem that let up any when he started growing up because his father had yet to pay any attention to him. He didn't think that would change, at least not anytime soon anyway. And his brother never cared for his father's attention; it was something he secretly envied, something Itachi always took for granted.

"Ha! I can't believe my shuriken actually landed a hit on you. Guess I'm better at accuracy than you thought. Or maybe you're not as great as you make yourself out to be." He ran a quick finger through the bridge of his nose, in a haughty gesture. Nothing infuriated his friend more than to be put down for a lack of ability. And he had to admit it; he loved bickering with Sasuke at times. Call him a child or just a plain idiot, but it was the only moment he left his emotions unguarded. And it was always worth it to see him lose his cool. But apparently not today, because Sasuke wasn't budging. He would usually take this opportunity to continue his tirade of verbal insults, but he was evidently not in the mood.

"Hey what's wrong with you? It's not like you to lose focus."

Sasuke debated on whether or not to inquire anything of Naruto. It really was just a family affair; however, he found that he couldn't discuss it with his family—especially since it _involved_ a family member. His father never really had a deep conversation with him and he was honestly afraid of approaching him at times. And his mother…he was afraid she would take things out of context and babble it to Itachi, who she usually went to first when she had something to inquire. There were really no secrets with women. And it was something that drove him insane. Therefore, if it was the only way to ease his worry then it wouldn't hurt to ask Naruto, even if he was low in the intelligence department.

"Hey, dobe, let me ask you something."

"What?"

"Let's say there's someone close to you acting weird…"

"Acting weird…how?"

"Well, suppose that person goes missing for awhile, becomes more distant or begins to deviate from the norm. What do you think that means?"

Naruto frowned, unsure what Sasuke was talking about or who for that matter. He wasn't one to take interest in other people's affairs unless they were close to him, and the only close people to Sasuke were his family and squad. He was fine, as were Sakura and Kakashi. He never heard any complaining about his parents other than the occasional praises about Sasuke's brother and his rapid advancement. It made Sasuke insanely competitive. And he still had not stopped complaining about it, so that left only Itachi as the source of his problems.

"Does this have anything to do with your brother?"

Sasuke's hand stilled. He hadn't expected Naruto to analyze a situation so quickly; then again, he was also the number one ninja of surprises. Maybe he wasn't so low in brain power after all.

Naruto gloated at having figured correctly and smiled goofily. "I wouldn't worry about it. I mean your brother's a lot older than you so maybe he has adult problems."

"Adult problems, like what?"

Naruto pondered about this. He didn't know what constituted as an "adult problem," but he was always told that by Iruka sensei whenever he voiced his reasoning on adults having too much freedom. Iruka assured him that adults had just as many burdens if not more than children. Itachi may not be as old as Iruka but maybe he was experiencing the same 'burdens.'

"Well…uh…oh, I know! Sometimes Iruka-sensei is always talking about how teachers have too much work on their hands with handling kids and not enough time to rest from it. That sometimes they need a vacation to get away from it all because adults have too much responsibility and the stress builds up. It's one of the reasons why Iruka-sensei has such a short fuse on me. But whatever, I think he's just being lazy."

Wait, Naruto definitely had something there. The symptoms of Iruka were very much like his own brother. They both had tons of workloads and not enough time for simple relaxation. "Does he ever…blame it on anything?"

"Yeah, usually me! It's so unfair. I mean, sure I used to skip his class a lot and purposely screw up the lessons or pull off weird pranks, talk in the middle of his lectures and sneak in dirty magazines, but it's going too far just blaming _me_ for the source of all his problems, right? Adults should accept more responsibility for their own actions!"

The statement might have sounded absurd at any other time considering how much blame he put on Naruto and not Iruka, but Sasuke could only think of how much of a burden _he _was to Itachi. And he wondered if his older brother ever blamed his stress on _him_.

"What else does he say?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing, just nags a lot. But that's just Iruka-sensei. I don't really pay attention too much to anything he says. Besides if I'm such a nuisance then why does he always take me out for ramen in the end?"

He had never received a similar treatment. Itachi never rewarded his actions by treating him to any form of entertainment. The time they spent together was becoming more professional with each meeting. And even those meetings were becoming sparse; or at least less frequent then back when he was still in the academy. He shouldn't have been surprised; Itachi had given him a fair warning that would be the case, especially once he began to accept more missions as a captain. And that old saying found his way back into his mind: it's the things you love the most that get taken away.

Everyone had a childhood moment he or she cherished, whether it be festive traditions or annual celebrations. But for Sasuke, it was the moments he shared with his family, specifically his brother, which meant the most. He had to admit, he held such deep admiration for him. It hurt to think that his brother did not cherish the same memories of which he was so fond.

"Is there something wrong with your brother?" When Naruto received an empty response, he decided to continue. "They say the best way to deal with a problem is tackle it head on. Me? I'm too impatient to wait around for people to fess up. If you do have some kind of problem with your brother, stop being a baby about it."

"I'm not being a baby."

"I could practically hear that pout, you know?"

"Shut up."

"Whatever. Hopefully you're in a better mood by the time we leave. If Kakashi-sensei catches us fighting again, he'll make us do laps and carry all the equipment for the next mission. Not to mention make us miss meals. So I'm just saying you should take care of the problem before our mission. You have a habit of dragging me into your problems."

"Idiot. You're the one that's always dragging _me_ into your crap. And what makes you think it's about my brother, anyway?"

"Because you haven't denied it, yet." He gave a goofy laugh and relaxed his head on two small arms.

"You're actually using psychology? You obviously got it from Usagi because I seriously doubt you would come up with something clever like that."

"Ha ha. You got me there. Just some things I picked up that she uses on me. I swear…they should have named her Kitsune instead. It suits her more in some ways."

"Whatever."

"Actually, now that we're on the subject…Usagi nee-chan has been acting a little off herself."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she does similar things, I guess. She'll disappear for a long time after or between missions. Whenever I ask her what she's doing, she purposely dodges the question. And then she tells me she's just doing more 'training.' I mean, Usagi nee-chan hates doing more work than she needs to. No way is she overworking herself for enlightenment."

"That sounds like my brother."

"Maybe it's an age thing. Your brother and Usagi are about the same age. Maybe it's just a phase they're going through. Or maybe ninja their age just get more work."

"Ninja their age are in the most suited physical condition so that could be a possibility."

"Usagi nee-chan is also trying to make it to jounin. That could be why she's training harder. Maybe your brother is also getting ready for a promotion?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "He's a captain in Anbu. What more can he possibly hope to achieve? He peaked too early if you ask me." He mumbled that last part to himself. Itachi had achieved so much at a young age. And here he was, twelve…and just barely a genin. Life wasn't fair.

"Hey what about Hokage? The old man should be close to croaking. Maybe he's ready to pass the torch?"

That comment earned him a rare mild snort. There were very few moments Sasuke showed amusement. And even a breath of air was a miracle. "I can't imagine my brother as Hokage…ever."

"Jealous are we?"

"Hardly."

"Then why do you say that? Your brother is like the strongest person in the village next to the old man. On top of that he's one of the most admired. He has the ability and support. What's there left?"

"Desire. You don't know my brother as well as I do, naturally. And there's one thing about him most people wouldn't know or assume."

"And what's that."

"The guy's incredibly lazy. Even for work, my father has to drag him into the office. Like it's the most tasking job in the world. Like spending time with his father is the most painful job in existence. Ungrateful brat…"

Naruto opened his mouth to reveal a toothy smile. "Someone's jealous," he sang.

"Whatever, moron. Look, I have to get going. I'm meeting my brother soon."

"Hey, wait. Don't forget. We're leaving today. You can't just take off to spend time with your family."

"I'll make it back in time, alright? We're just going to prepare for the mission. I'll meet up with you guys by sundown at the rendezvous point."

"Don't be late."

"Worry about yourself. Later, dobe." He ran off in a hurry. His previous thoughts about his cherished childhood moments resurfaced. And he bore a soft smile until the thoughts from the previous conversation resurfaced. What if Itachi thought of him as a burden? What if he tried everything possible to get out of being with him? He wouldn't be surprised if he cancelled the meeting for today. Why was it that everything was always his fault?

Sasuke slowed his pace down to a crawl. Somehow, the enthusiasm diminished, and he was left with a dreadful feeling of complete disappointment. Maybe it was just one of those days.

* * *

There was just no sign of it anywhere.

Her fingers flickered to and fro, casting aside several small objects. Old receipts, wrinkled gum wrappers, some containers of cosmetics, a notepad, pencils, a few choice weapons, some snacks and even a small first aid kit; but none of this was relevant to her current situation. And even after all the contents had been brushed aside, including the ones from the smaller pockets, and she rummaged carefully within the dark depths of silky interior fabric, there was just simply no sign of it. With a dejected sigh, she glanced over at the vendor who held her desired item close to him.

"I guess I forgot my wallet at home."

"I don't mean to be rude young lady, but you're holding up the line." He figured she didn't have the adequate currency for the transaction but didn't want to put her on the spot. Instead, opting to make the decision to leave, her own.

Usagi frowned realizing she would have to go without her wild berry smoothie for now. "Yes, sir..." But before she could tell the man to discard or sell away her drink, a few slips of Ryo were slapped onto the counter.

"I have the young lady covered."

"Thank you both. Appreciate the business."

Usagi took her drink slowly from the vendor and walked away from the booth, not once removing her eyes from the man. It was someone so very unfamiliar and it made her slightly on edge; she didn't know if it was the instincts of a kunoichi or just hanging around Itachi for so long. She didn't like acquiring some of his habits, especially his natural assessment of people, but at times it couldn't be helped.

He began to walk away from the stand, and Usagi followed him. Despite her suspicions, she was quick to show her gratitude; she was never one to forego manners, even among strangers. She bowed gracefully. "Thank you, sir. If there's anyway I can repay you…"

He smiled and took her hand in his. "No need; wasn't my money to begin with."

Usagi glanced down at the hand he just shook and noticed her wallet was now in it its palm. She eyed him suspiciously and so he began to clear up the misunderstanding.

"You dropped it a while back. I meant to give it to you earlier but you're surprisingly fast. Finally caught up to you when you stopped for a drink."

"Oh, I'm sorry for inconveniencing you, then."

"It's quite all right. You weren't an inconvenience."

Usagi held out her hand again, in a more formal manner. "Tsukino Usagi, glad to meet you. And you have my thanks again."

He returned the handshake firmly. "Uchiha Shisui. And I assure you, the pleasure was mine."

Usagi's eyes widened considerably in fascination. "You're an Uchiha?"

"Yes. Does that shock you?"

"N-no."

He gave a small chuckle at her speechless state. "What? Don't tell me this is the first time you've ever spoken to an Uchiha."

"Well, no…I mean…"

"So I'm not the first Uchiha you've met?"

"Well, yes. No, I mean…" She hated how she stumbled when caught off guard. It was one of the many things Minako teased her about. Simply put, she couldn't lie to save her life. But she had to now, in some way, save herself from his scrutiny. "What I meant was, yes, I have met an Uchiha… in passing. I'm just speechless that an Uchiha would consider wasting his time to help me with my problem. But I guess that's the duty of a policeman right?"

"You know of the Uchiha police?"

After saving herself the first time, she was quick on her toes at his newer questions. The initial surprise wore off and she was ready now at anything he threw at her. But she would have to play it off a little more informal. She didn't want him becoming suspicious of a cover-up. "Everyone knows the Uchiha Police! They're amazing at everything they do to protect the village. I honestly admire their hard work."

"Well, thank you. But may I ask how you knew I was with the Uchiha Police?"

"Because all Uchiha men that reach adolescence become part of the police squad. It's a given."

Sometime during the talk, the two had begun to walk along side each other. He honestly had no idea where she was headed but continued to follow her regardless. And it was at her recent comment that he turned his head back over to her in an amused smile. "And how would you know that?"

Usagi's eyes lost focus. That last part wasn't something of common knowledge. She learned it from Itachi. But she couldn't exactly tell _him_ that. "Well, it's just an observation I made from watching you guys. All the Uchiha in the police department are males. I've never once seen any females. And you're all at least in your mid-teens. So I deduced that there must be an age and gender discrepancy."

"Interesting for someone who has only seen our clan in passing."

Shit. This guy wasn't stupid, of that much she was certain. But why was he asking her so many questions? Either way, she couldn't let up the game. "Well I have. You see when I was a genin, we used to do several delivery missions. I used to deliver things back and forth in the village and passed by the police department several times. I just picked up a few observations during that time is all." She glanced over at him to see if he would buy it and he appeared to with a soft smile.

"Ah, I see. Well even so, it's quite a conclusion for a chuunin to draw."

Her brows scrunched. It was her turn to be suspicious. "Hey, how did you know that I was a chuunin?"

He looked over to her and ran his hand lazily from her elbow to her shoulder and around her neck. Usagi blushed and faltered momentarily at the sudden touch until she realized what it was he was aiming for.

"All chuunin wear these." He said simply while holding the small piece of fabric that she was carrying around her neck like a scarf.

"Oh, right. And in that case, you must be a jounin right? Because of your vest."

"Correct. So now, tell me something Usagi."

She watched him with hidden scrutiny, wondering what other questions he possibly had for her. Well, luckily she was fairly good at improvisation. She learned a bit from Itachi who liked nothing more than coming up with stupid excuses on the spot.

"Do you like senbei?"

She blinked away the previous suspicion. "Senbei?"

"Yes, senbei."

"The cookie?"

He shook his head and laughed. "Unless there's a senbei jutsu, yes the cookie."

"Oh well…yeah. I do actually. I love sweets."

Shisui glanced momentarily at her. A spark in his eye lit up. "Oh do you, now?"

"Yeah, all kinds! I love cookies, dango, anmitsu, cakes of any kind, ice cream—oh sorry was I rambling?"

"No. Not at all. Actually, I always admire a woman who speaks passionately about her interests. I'm glad you like sweets because I was going to suggest if you wanted to accompany me for some senbei. My treat?"

"Well…" She really had nothing planned for the day but was still suspicious about going to eat with someone she hardly knew. Well, it wasn't like it was a date or anything. And strangely enough, she was curious to get to know him. But why that was, she really had no idea. "Sure, I'd love to!"

"Great, then let's go. I know the best place to get senbei in town."

They walked closely together and it wasn't until they reached the entrance of the Uchiha estate did Usagi began to physically show her anxiety.

"Are you sure we should eat here? There are other senbei shops in town."

"Are you kidding? Auntie Uruchi has the best senbei in town. There's no place else in the entire land of fire that you'll get better senbei than here. I promise you that."

"It's not that. It's just…"

"Relax, okay? This isn't some secret base. You're allowed inside. Unless, of course…you're a spy, here to gain information for another clan. In which case, I assure you, the consequences will be highly severe."

She paled. "What?"

He laughed loudly. "You're such a sweetheart! But I'm just teasing you. Calm down, you're with me. Just stick close, and you'll be all right."

He grabbed a firm hold of her hand and led her through the roads. When they reached a small wooden shop with a few benches to sit on, he waved a hand over to the two owners.

"Oji-san! Ba-san!" He looked over to Usagi and gave her a wink. "Everyone in the clan calls them uncle and auntie. They run the senbei shop together."

"Shi-chan? Is that you?"

Usagi watched as a fairly plump woman came and engulfed Shisui in a large hug. She had a chubby face as well and her gray hair tied up in a bun, effectively giving her the traditional grandmother appearance. But the strength in her arms was anything but elderly and meek, and Shisui was effectively crushed against her chest.

"Auntie! I can't breathe!" He struggled to break free and eventually managed to do so by pressing her arms up as he escaped from underneath.

"Oh calm down, you big baby. I was just saying hello. I haven't seen you in a long t—" Her gaze was now fixated on only that of Usagi, assessing her openly and after she made her final scan, Uruchi reached over and elbowed Shisui rather roughly. "I see you've brought another pretty girl home, Shisui."

He glanced over nervously at a suspicious Usagi. "Oh, Auntie, Usagi here is just a friend I met today. I brought her over here to try some of your famous senbei."

"Oh, I see." She gave a small wink at Shisui who smiled nervously. The boy never brought 'friends' over, at least not of the female variety. And so with a small smile, she went over to her stand, ready to prepare her specialty brand. "Well then, I'll go and prepare some of my specialty cookies while you sit and talk to your _friend._"

Usagi stifled a small laugh behind her hands as the woman openly teased Shisui with a few winks. It was quite apparent to her from the beginning that this man was quite skilled in the art of courtship according to this Uruchi. Her wariness grew.

"So Usagi, how about you tell me a little bit about yourself."

"About myself? Like what?" Rule number one with strangers, never volunteer information. Always wait for questions to be asked. It was the first thing Itachi taught her in regards to suspicious shinobi, and there was nothing more suspicious to her than a man who approached women indiscriminately.

"Anything. Likes, dislikes, hobbies. I would genuinely like to get to know you."

All professionalism aside, she was actually flattered to receive a male's attention. And she still was suspicious enough of him that she did want to gain more information. It wouldn't hurt to humor him in order to gain insight. "Well, I like many things actually, so it's hard to choose just one. Let's see…I like star gazing, walks at night, eating sweets…"

He gave a small chuckle. "You're a romantic at heart, I see."

She blushed and looked away shyly. "Most girls are, you know."

"Well then tell me a bit about that reading hobby of yours. You fancy any genre in particular?"

"Don't laugh, but I'm actually interested in graphic novels."

"Erotica?" he winked.

It earned him a slap on the hand. "No, you pervert. I meant manga. I read it quite avidly actually. I'm a fan of action and romance."

"Any particular story that appeals to you more? Maybe…Icha Icha?"

Another slap had him laughing out his apology to her.

"Once again, no. In anyway, those books have nothing on Tasogare Senshi. It is by far the best I have seen. Nothing compares. It has a bit of everything actually. Romance, drama, horror, mystery, action, comedy…"

"It's actually my personal favorite too."

She let out a light snort. "I highly doubt that you read manga."

"Don't be so quick to judge. Here, I'll prove it." After reaching into his vest, he pulled out his latest purchase at the book store. He watched her assess the book carefully.

"Ha! So you do have a copy of the latest issue. I can't wait to read it. I got one myself not too long ago."

"Yeah, I know."

"You do?"

"Well, I mean, I just figured if you're as big a fan as I am, that you'd be up to date with the series."

She watched for all the signs on his facial features. Anything to give away that he was lying or keeping something from her. But he was playing it off very smooth. If he was trying to find out more about her for anything other than simple courting interest, then he was hiding it well. But before Usagi could do more assessments, a small plate of treats was placed on the table, right beside her drink.

"Here you kids go. A few of my specialty made senbei cookies. This is my traditional recipe. Believe it or not Usagi, I used to make these for Shi-chan when he was just a little boy. When it came time to go to the academy, he was so scared. And so I made these cookies to help calm his nerves. It's been a tradition for Uchiha kids to come get some from me every morning before classes since then."

"Oh come on, Auntie, you're not going to spout off embarrassing stories from my childhood again, are you? Even my own grandfather doesn't put me in such awkward situations."

"Come now. I was just reminiscing on old times. You were one of the most adorable little babies ever. Next to Itachi-chan, of course. That little boy was such a sweetheart. Always following Mikoto around."

Usagi's heart pounded faster at the name. She knew it was a bad idea to head into the Uchiha compound. It was the epicenter of turmoil, and she plunged right into it without bothering to adhere to her instincts. She had to steer the conversation away. "These cookies are amazing Auntie Uruchi! They really are the best in the whole land of fire!"

"Oh my, what a flatterer you are Usagi!"

"No! I really mean it, they're great."

Uruchi glanced over at Shisui. "You know who else was a flatterer? Itachi-chan. Do you remember, Shi-chan? Why, when that boy was little, he would try every trick in the book to squeal his way into my shop for free cookies. A little con artist he was. And such natural charm too! It's a wonder why he's never had a girlfriend."

"I've always wondered that myself Auntie."

"Oh but where are our manners? Usagi, here we are babbling about someone you probably don't even know about. He's a dark-haired boy with shoulder length hair he keeps tied. Honestly, I think that look is too rebellious. But I suppose that's the style you children go for these days." She chuckled at an after thought. "I assume that dangerous allure is also what attracts the women too. I've seen several show their appreciation; even the married ones."

"Oh, is that so?" She giggled in reply. It was getting quite warm and she desperately wanted out of there. She began to take small sips of her smoothie.

"Say, maybe you've met Itachi-chan, Usagi-chan."

"Oh, um, maybe…" The sips subsequently quickened as she tried desperately to still her heartbeat.

"It's quite possible, Auntie. Usagi here has seen many Uchiha in passing, apparently some at HQ. It's highly probable she's run into Itachi."

"Who knows?" She rubbed her neck, trying to destroy the tingling sensation she felt at having this conversation. "But you know, with so many Uchiha, it's highly unlikely. We may just have passed each other on the street or something."

"Well he's not hard to miss, sweetie. He is the only Uchiha that also doubles as an Anbu captain."

"Yes, Usagi, surely you have some knowledge of the Anbu squads."

"I, um… you know what? I can't recall honestly." Small traces of sweat began falling down the back of her neck. But before she could try another attempt at changing the topic, an elderly man wearing an apron approached the table.

"There you two go off again, scaring this poor girl out of her wits with your banter."

Usagi whipped her head around to face the man carrying a brown bag with him. It didn't take her long to make the connection upon seeing Auntie Uruchi approaching this man and gazing at him with a delicate tenderness.

"We're doing no such thing."

"Either way, don't crowd the poor girl. Give her room to speak for herself." He turned now towards Usagi who was curiously looking up at him. "What I think these two are getting at is if you do meet him, as a friend of Shisui, you might want to introduce yourself too. You two boys go way back, don't you, Shisui?"

"We sure do, Uncle. You could say we're like brothers."

"All right. Let's go. Just leave these two be." He began ushering his wife back to the bakery stand.

"Oh come on now! We were simply talking!"

"Sure you were…"

Their chatter faded away and Usagi redirected her attention back to Shisui who was laughing nervously.

"Embarrassing, aren't they? I bet your family is always doing things like that to make the situation more awkward."

Usagi bit into her cookie and merely shook her head at the thought. "No, not at all."

"Really? Your lucky, then."

She smiled sadly. "It's hard to be embarrassed by a family that doesn't exist."

His lips drew in tightly and his eyebrows scrunched, suddenly losing all humor in his demeanor. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay. I'm used to it."

"How…?" he inquired cautiously.

She was actually used to curiosity of her past. All her friends from the academy and even Naruto had often inquired about it. It was still a sad memory, but one that didn't necessarily damper her moods entirely, as she was very small when she had lost them. And as the time went by, it became more and more of a blurred memory from a distant life.

"My father was a merchant here in Konoha; he really loved to travel and see exotic new places and found that was the best way to contribute to the village while simultaneously indulging in his favorite pastime. One day, he traveled to Iwagakure where he met my mother. She was a designer of sorts and loved sewing and weaving fabrics, anything from casual kimonos to actual combat attire. My father continued traveling back and forth constantly to see her. Originally, they were just business partners; but one day they got married and then not too long after, I was conceived. During my birth, however, my mom suffered from complications and a few months later, she passed away from pneumonia. My father took me back to Konoha where I lived with him for a couple of years, until the third ninja war came. He was killed one day by the ninja that infiltrated the village. Since then I've pretty much been on my own. Ojii-san, the third Hokage, as well as the orphanages set up for the children who lost their families after that war, all helped me get along okay. With them around, I suppose it wasn't so lonely. My friends helped out too. In the end, I'd like to think I managed alright."

"I…wow. I mean, I don't know what to say to that."

She giggled at how she actually managed to get him to quiet down. "It's fine. I didn't mean to get so serious."

"So, did they leave you anything to remember them? Like heirlooms or amulets?"

"Well, my father left behind logs of his travels. It's the only reason I know as much as I do now about them. There's also an old checkbook and records of his transactions. But aside from that he only left behind a compass, a few maps and a protractor. There's also a kimono my mother apparently made me but I'm much too old for that now."

He gave her a sly wink. "You could always save it for your future children."

She blushed profusely before dismissing the idea. "Kids are nowhere in my immediate future, but I will keep that in mind. At the moment, I have a really amazing dream I'm aspiring to make come true."

"And what would that be?"

"I want to chart my father's old course. The ones he left behind in his logs and maps. My wish is to someday navigate through those courses and follow the path he took in his travels—like a sightseeing tour. I can sketch out everything I see and make a log for myself."

"Actually, that does sound pretty amazing. Any idea on when you'll get around to it?"

She sighed heavily. "At the moment, I'm a little more preoccupied with my training to become a jounin. But I have secured a few months of vacation time before my actual trials begin. So I may navigate through a few of the paths. I suppose time will tell how far I can get."

"I suppose so. And hey, who knows? Maybe you'll meet that special someone on your journey."

"What? No…I don't think so."

"It's not too bizarre. You meet a lot of people in your travels. Unless you've already met someone you like…"

"Well, I…no! There is no one in my life right now."

"Is that so?" he smirked.

"And I'm not exactly looking either." She was firm in getting her point across.

He merely gave out another deep chuckle. "Fair enough."

She glanced down at her wrist watch which was concealed underneath the table. He had yet in all this time to inquire anything other than casual questions about her life. If he was after something else entirely, he was pursuing his task horribly. And realizing that perhaps she had jumped to conclusions, she decided it was time to bid him farewell. She was done with her work for the day and desperately wanted to get home and relax. "I'm sorry. I hope you don't think me rude, but I do need to get going."

"No, it's quite fine. Would you like me to escort you home?"

She refused politely and when he offered her a take-out bag for her senbei, she would have refused as well, had Auntie Uruchi not returned upon seeing the two get up and insisted on taking a few more bags home. She obliged kindly.

"Come back and see us again, Usagi-chan."

Honestly thinking nothing of the sort so as to avoid more trouble, she simply smiled and nodded. "Thank you all again for your hospitality."

They watched her as she walked away with her items. And it wasn't until she was out of the compound that Uruchi elbowed Shisui again roughly. "So how long do you think this one will stick around Shisui?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I told you, Auntie. Usagi is just a friend. But, I am kind of hoping she sticks around for awhile."

"Well, take some advice from an old lady like me." She hitched her thumb and pointed over to where Usagi once stood. "That girl is a keeper." Offering nothing else in conversation, she busied herself by wiping off the table and heading back to her shop with trash in tow.

Shisui too gazed off at Usagi's last spot and smiled.

"I think so too."

* * *

He disregarded following Usagi after Shisui intervened. She disappeared by then anyway. And so he walked to the training field, where he was scheduled to meet Sasuke, and waited patiently. Maybe it was still just training, more work in the eyes of anyone else. But being with his brother was much like his other two close friends—a distraction, an alleviation from the stress of work. And seeing his brother progress, knowing he helped out somewhat in his growth brought on a deep male pride within him. They may be rivals in the future, rivals now even, and someday Sasuke may grow competitive enough to actually feel resentment for him; but today, and each day after until that moment came, they were simply brothers.

His eyes caught movement in the distance. When he saw a familiar set of spiky dark hair walking up towards him, he began to wave until he noticed Sasuke wasn't paying attention at all. And it was then, his heart began to beat faster and a terrible feeling of anxiety overwhelmed him. He kept his stoic expression nonetheless.

"You're late."

"I was training with Naruto for a bit."

"Well if that's the case, you should have just continued sparring with him before your mission. There was no need for me to interrupt you."

He glanced up to his brother, wondering what that emotion was. Whether it was genuine concern for disrupting his practice or a method of prying him away, he didn't know. But because of the conversation he held with Naruto earlier, he was betting on the latter.

"It's fine. I wanted to get as much done as possible before I left. This is the first long-term mission we've received. We'll be out of Konoha for awhile. I need to be well prepared."

"Agreed. Which is why I have the perfect training just for this occasion. Let's go. We have some preparations to complete before we begin."

Despite his concerns, he had to admit, he felt a small trickle of excitement. Maybe he needn't worry. Everything would be fine. And with that in mind and the sudden anticipation of sparring with his brother coursing through his veins in heavy adrenaline, he let his lips quirk up ever so slightly, in a soft and gentle smile.

And when Itachi glanced back and caught that brief moment, his muscles relaxed, feeling that maybe things were going to be alright after all. And they continued their walk into town. But upon arriving to their first destination and giving Sasuke his first part of training, he watched in humor as his brother's smile turned into a scowl, mixed with discontent and skepticism.

"This is a joke, right?"

"No. Consider this your first part of training."

"You're not serious."

"Very much so, Sasuke."

"This is pointless."

"Indulge me and you might learn something."

Sasuke sighed and did as he was told. His eyes glanced to and fro, with careful scrutiny. This wasn't necessarily one of his favorite tasks, nor was it one that he particularly excelled on. But nonetheless, his brother watched him with silent amusement as he failed consecutively. With one hand, he reached over to one item but upon seeing his brother give it a subtle shake of the head, he reached over to another one. And once again, his decision was disapproved.

"This is so annoying! And why are we here shopping? I want to go train!"

"Sasuke, gathering items for your mission is of upmost importance. For that reason, I brought you here. Consider this lesson one: gathering your materials."

"But how am I supposed to pick the right weapons? I don't even know what I'm up against. In anyway, it's just an escort mission. C-rank at most."

"Never underestimate the dangers of a shinobi's mission. _You_ may have a C-rank mission but neighboring ninja may not; and what if your paths cross? On top of that enemy ninja of this village lurk everywhere; it's dangerous for you to let your guard down because of a simple technicality. Outside of these gates, you and your team are on your own. There's no turning back once you've set out for your mission, unless you want a failure mark on your ninja report. On top of that, there's no telling when the next shop will present itself. You must collect as much as possible before setting off. I believe it was one of the first lessons of the academy."

He pouted. As much as he loved his older brother, he really could not tolerate being patronized. And he wasn't sure Itachi was always conscious of that habit; he did it all the time.

"Well then, why can't I have those Arare Pellets?"

"There's no point in carrying those. They don't deal enough damage and those are best used long-range. If you're fighting your opponent long-range, you might as well just use plain shuriken. They're sturdier and deal a lot more damage."

"But it wouldn't hurt to carry both, right? Besides, you're the one that said to carry all that I can."

"I said to carry as much as possible," he corrected. "You have a limited supply of space in your bag. You have to show more efficiency as well as strategic planning when selecting the right weapons. Unless you can do a quick scroll summoning, which I doubt at the moment. So just stick with the basics for now."

Sasuke sighed in irritation, having been once again patronized by his brother. "Okay."

"Now, try again. And this time, _think_ before you pick."

He took a deep breath and after regaining some focus, his eyes searched the tool dealer's table. He scanned carefully, trying to decide which item was best for his mission. Strategy and efficiency. His eyes fell upon the steel ring. They looked really nice and had a good firm handle but knew instantly Itachi would disapprove. A kunai was much more powerful and provided good coverage for both short and long distance since it could be held or tossed. But a steel ring was light in weight and couldn't put up much of an offense let alone defense. It was something they used in the academy to practice on logs. A definite 'no' to carry. The sickles were just ridiculously long and he wouldn't be able to fit it in his bag regardless. On top of that, it took great dexterity to wield one since managing its trajectory was difficult. And he was nowhere as proficient as his brother in that field.

Finally, Sasuke's eyes settled on a peculiar looking kunai. Its edges were different from that of a regular kunai and he instantly recognized it as a double-edged weapon. It was perfect in the event he was caught in close-range combat. He would be able to hit more vital points and make a deeper incision in that case. And when he reached out to grab them without seeing Itachi shake his head left and right, he knew he made his first correct choice.

"Good. Now you're thinking. Go ahead and pick up some more items you think you'll need. We have to head over to the next shop."

Sasuke obeyed and decided on a few other choice weapons, including one fuma shuriken that he was certain would come in handy. And as he went to the counter and made his purchase, he noticed on display a rather rare katana. "Whoa, what's that?"

The dealer looked behind him to the glass case before turning around and finishing off the transaction. He gave a small smirk at his answer. "Too much to handle for a genin like you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I'm not your average genin, old man."

The man gave a chuckle. "If you must know, that there is the dragon slayer. A close-range weapon designed for superior combat. But it's too much for a kid like you. For starters, it'd be too heavy for you to lift. Gain a little more muscle in those biceps of yours and then we'll talk numbers."

He scowled and was about to continue his rant but was stopped quickly by Itachi. "Sasuke, let it be. The vendor is right; that weapon is far too advanced for you to handle. Just work with what you have now."

"It's best for beginners, right?" He muttered quietly and kicked an invisible patch of dirt on the ground. In the end, he was still just a kid. And it wasn't until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder did he look up from the floor.

"Soon, I promise."

He nodded in content. "Ah."

"We have two more stops before we begin our practice."

"_Training_," he corrected.

"Ah, yes. Training it is."

"What's our next stop?"

"The medicine shop. I need to pick up my vitamins and you'll need a few things yourself. Consider this part two of the training. Know the area you'll be in, become conscious of the problems you will most likely encounter, and figure out what form of remedy will be the best for it."

"Ah."

They entered a new shop, and it carried a very unpleasant scent. Various wild herbs laced with a repulsive and pungent odor were assorted around the edge of the shop, near the glass. Several people were walking around inspecting roots, most of them were medical ninja, obviously running errands for the hospital.

"This place reeks," he scratched the edge of his nose, a tingle from the scent causing his sinuses to act up.

"As most medicinal shops do."

"Whatever. So where do we—"

"Sasuke-kun?"

Both turned their attention now to their right, Sasuke's other teammate. She was currently in her usual kunoichi attire and carried a small bag over her left shoulder and parcel in her right hand, containing her obvious recent purchases. She cast a small smile at both Itachi and Sasuke.

"It's nice to see both of you. I was just gathering some medicines for the mission. I wanted to make sure I stocked up properly. There's no telling when the next possible shop will appear, especially in such a remote territory."

Itachi cast a small smirk sideways, his way of telling Sasuke 'I told you so.' But Sasuke merely scoffed away.

Misinterpreting the exchange and hidden meaning, Sakura frowned slightly. Perhaps it was the thought of possibly being a nuisance to the duo considering they were obviously preoccupied with tasks at hand. And with their mission beginning at the end of the day, it was quite possible she was delaying them even further. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

Knowing how his brother was, he didn't expect a reply quick enough. And so he decided to intervene. "You weren't interrupting at all. But may I ask you something, Sakura-san?"

"Yes?"

"Are you well educated in the field of medicinal herbs?"

"I'm not even an intermediate, but I do read up on them on occasion. I find it a particular interest and hobby of mine. But why do you ask?"

"I'm escorting my little brother around, preparing him for the upcoming mission. I brought him here to gather a few essentials. Perhaps you can enlighten him a bit. It would be much more efficient for you two to share ideas, considering you are on the same team. That way, not too many items are duplicated and you will be that much more equipped for your journey. "

"I'm not sure how much more help I can be."

He smiled charmingly at her. "I'm sure you'll be more than enough help. I trust your judgment."

She blushed and gave a small nod. "Well, sure. I'll help out. Let me first drop off my father's capsule. He needs a refill on his medication. I'll return shortly."

After he knew she was out of hearing range, he scowled up at Itachi. "Stop flirting with her."

"Jealous, little brother?" he taunted.

"No. I just don't want you to encourage her. Girls like her are fickle, especially at her age. You keep doing things like that and she'll fawn all over you."

He lifted an eyebrow. "I'll manage somehow. But don't worry," he bent down to whisper in his brother's ear, "I won't steal her away from you."

"Shut up. It's not like that."

"Then why are your ears red?"

He desperately held back a blush. "An allergic reaction from all these damn plants, obviously."

"Ah yes, that must be it." He frowned when he noticed Sasuke really scowling. A hunch told him it was more than teasing. "Seriously, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Again, that feeling of being pushed away. Was his brother teasing him for the sake of teasing, or was he once again trying to find a way to relieve himself of the duty that is interacting with his brother? When he noticed Sakura's return, however, he straightened up to avoid suspicion from both her and Itachi.

"I'm going to collect my vitamins. I'll be back shortly you two."

When Itachi left, they both felt a sudden awkward silence. Neither of them had really spoken since they were assigned to team seven. Naruto…he had always spoken to him. Since their early years at the academy, he and the trickster had suddenly become rivals and sparring partners. And while somewhat good friends, they still managed to fight. But at least that _was_ an interaction. Sakura had actually begun as a timid and quiet student. He was assigned a seat right next to her and enjoyed the silent companionship. There was an occasional interaction when he wanted to borrow her notes or a writing utensil. But other than that, it was pretty much silent between them. Then one day it completely changed. She began to speak more avidly and strive for his attention. He suspected this was mostly likely a direct result at the one time he stood up for her in their group project from their bully of a team captain. She must have mistaken this as a token of affection and from that day on, she was constantly pining for him.

"I'm glad to see you and your brother are spending some time together. It will be awhile until you see him again. I'm sure he's happy to spend time with you."

He let out a soft scoff. "I'm sure he's thrilled with toting me around."

She fidgeted with discomfort at the tone of his voice, desperate to move the conversation away from the current topic. "Well, should we get started? How about I tell you what I have already?"

"Ah."

"Well the top three things to consider in a mission are health, stamina and chakra. Any medicinal herbs you buy should cover at the very least, one of these criteria. So my first recommendations are the chakra pills, specifically the toad brand. They are a bit bitter but the results are amazing. I actually read up about how they were created which is a very important aspect into configuring what it is they can help…"

He honestly didn't mean to be rude by tuning her out. But his thoughts were too focused right now on his brother. It was just too peculiar. Itachi must have been hinting it at him all day. Surely those remarks were not coincidental. No, his brother was very calculative in everything he did, including conversations. Perhaps he was too much a coward to create a direct confrontation and wanted him to figure it out himself? Or perhaps he was just saving the embarrassment from his stupid little brother? It was obvious from the weapons stand that Itachi didn't think much of his capabilities. He even implied Sakura had better judgment than he did. And then earlier, he commented on leaving him be with Naruto. As if he was trying to dump him on someone else. He was the one that even encouraged him to hang out with Naruto when he came back fuming at picking fights with him everyday. Was this also his way of getting him off his back? It was around the time he began to take up more missions for Anbu, so he figured that should be the case. Even when he came home wanting practice, Itachi would suggest asking his father instead.

Sasuke clenched his fist tightly. Was he really just that much of a burden?

"And then there are also the energy pills."

"Hmm?" He looked over at her, eyes glazed over as he was still brooding over his mental images of self-insufficiency.

"They're also only temporary, so you have to use them with extreme caution. Some like these steel pills here…" she picked up a capsule of pale colored pills, "…are used to increase your defensive capabilities. They work by pumping energy into your chakra streams and increasing their flows for huge spurts. Some even enhance your taijutsu and genjutsu abilities. But because of the current limitations of medical advancement, they only seem to work for about five minutes per pill. On top of that, they're kind of expensive. That's why it's important to exercise discretion."

He lips curved up into a sardonic smile. "Do you find this is the only way you're useful?"

She faltered her hold on the capsule momentarily, but ended up putting it down gently. A nervous smile adorned her face. "Excuse me?"

"Your knowledge of things, I mean. Aside from that, what else do you have to offer? And when what you have isn't enough, what more could you possibly be then a burden on everyone around you?"

"I…don't think I understand."

She was fighting back tears. Somewhere in the back of his mind, even he knew. But nothing was connecting at the moment. He was just simply thinking out loud.

"What would be the best way to voice that annoyance, hmm? Silence? Confrontation? Indirect Clues?"

"I don't…know." Her eyes cast off a glassy reflection now.

"Just answer me!" he yelled out in frustration.

The tears fell now as she flinched from him. "I don't know…what I did wrong." She ran away now, no longer capable of maintaining a calm demeanor.

And it was only after seeing her tears and watching her scurry away, was the illusion effectively broken. He let out a deep sigh. "You didn't do anything wrong," he whispered into emptiness.

"What happened? I leave you alone for a few minutes and already you're making girls cry."

He only glanced sideways at Itachi who chose now to arrive. Impeccable timing. "Nothing. I know what I'm getting. Let's hurry up and make the purchases before we continue."

Itachi had no reply, allowing Sasuke to gather his medicines. Surprisingly, he needed no hints this time as he was choosing out the correct pills that would provide the most benefits for his team. He figured Sakura must have offered enough input before leaving. But watching the way she left made him worry, and he silently wondered what exactly transpired between the two. Sasuke, however, would probably avoid the topic, and so he let things, for the moment, be as they were.

He led Sasuke to the market and suggested he stock up on some basic food necessities. Nothing perishable, and something that could be eaten with ease. The vinegared seaweed came highly recommended as did most pickled products because of their long shelf life. He watched Sasuke make those purchases and stuff them in his bag.

"Are we done shopping yet? I want to get started on training. I don't have much time left until I have to meet up with my team."

He ignored the tone and simply nodded. "Ah. We can move back to the forest now. I'll show you how to use those weapons properly and give you some suggestions on those pills you purchased."

And as he sped off with his little brother following closely behind, he began to ponder more about what could have happened just now. True, Sasuke was never a smooth talker, especially with girls. He was impulsive, bratty, impatient and slightly arrogant with others his age. He figured that was just with age, that perhaps it would diminish with time. But it also could have been a result of him. His own capabilities may have overshadowed his little brother's. If so, then Sasuke would grasp at any opportunity to feel superior among his comrades. It was that attitude, though, that would get him in trouble. But maybe being on this team would help him out more. It was one of the reasons he suggested making new friends, to ease the pain in his heart. And to find rivalries outside his own household. It was all an effort to make the communication between the two, better.

"This place will suffice. We can train here."

Sasuke followed his cue and stopped, opening his bag and grabbing the weapons he had carefully selected.

"We'll start with the fuma shuriken. First of all, you want to make sure your thumb, index and ring fingers support the majority of the weight when you hold it. When you open it up, you want to quickly move one finger at a time aside as each blade falls. And after they're all retracted, make sure you continue gripping like before, only now with your middle finger in the center. When you're ready to release, wind up like you would a pitch, but release like you would a discus. You want a smooth release. Also, since it creates its own shadow to confuse enemies, you need to be a few degrees to the left or right of your target, all depending on your trajectory. Now did you get all that or do I need to repeat anything?"

"I got it," he replied firmly. Insulted at being treated like a child at the academy.

"Very well. Let's look at your posture first." He watched as Sasuke correctly unwound the weapon, exactly as he was told.

"Good, now aim for that mark right there." He threw a kunai sharply into the bark of the tree as a target practice.

"Okay." Sasuke wound up just as his brother instructed and threw it appropriately. He watched, however, as the shadow hit the edge of the tree while the shuriken spun off to hit another tree. He had forgotten about Itachi's last instructions.

"No, remember you need to calculate the degrees—"

"I know! I just forgot at the moment." He watched as Itachi made a move to retrieve the object but stopped him abruptly. "No, I'll get it."

After grabbing his weapon, he watched as Itachi grabbed his kunai and made a new target. Something obviously easier. He scowled at this.

"This tree is closer. We'll keep it simple for now and work on closer targets. That way you don't have to strain your muscles trying to aim. We'll work our way up from this."

He was angry, but let it go. "Fine." With another try he wound up and threw again. His trajectory was completely off again. But his calculations had been correct. He wondered how he missed.

"Your putting too much strain on your muscles. Given the current target, it's not necessary. You need to use subtle movements or you will be skewing the trajectory off completely each and every time."

"I'm doing fine! It's your technique that's off."

"My technique is fine. You just need to have more focus."

"Well maybe if you explained things better."

"I asked if you wanted me to go over the details again."

"Don't patronize me!"

He sighed. "Look, let's try something else. Why don't you start by using your right hand? It's your dominate one anyway. Let's practice with that first. Once the motion becomes more natural, you can use your left hand."

He stared hard. "No."

"_No_?"

"I want to practice with my left hand. What's the big deal?"

"Stop being so stubborn and listen to me for once."

"Look, I'm fine! Let's just keep going. We can try the kunai now and get back to the shuriken later."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, searching for something. And in one quick movement, he pinned Sasuke down head first into the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

He ignored him and pulled aside his arm sleeve, eyes widening slightly at the bloody bandages. "Mind telling me when _this_ happened?"

"It's just a scratch. No big deal." He hoisted himself back up.

"It's a laceration. And it could become seriously infected. Why haven't you gone to the hospital to get it disinfected and cleaned properly?"

"I'm not a kid, okay? I can manage for myself. Besides, what if I got it on a mission, huh? There wouldn't be any hospitals then, would there?"

"But you're _not_ on a mission. You _have_ the opportunity to heal yourself. Or what? You'd rather jeopardize your team's safety on a mission by being stubborn and not getting a simple wound checked?"

He just couldn't take it anymore. He hated being patronized. He hated being treated inferior. He hated that his voice was always left unheard. Whether it was in his clan, family or just between the two. But more than anything, he hated this heavy feeling of being treated as nothing more than a nuisance. "Fuck you!"

That was it for him as well. "What the hell is wrong with you? I have done nothing but try to help you all day and you've done nothing but give me attitude back. If you don't want my help then why bother asking for it? Why waste my time?"

"It all comes out now, huh?"

He stilled as Sasuke grew serious.

"It's just a burden on you, right?"

It all came to him at once. The brooding, the anger, the lack of focus, the insecurity…

"Sasuke, I never said you were…"

"And I don't need you smothering me and treating me like a child. I can handle myself."

"I wasn't trying to…"

"I don't need your help." He glared fiercely at Itachi, not once flinching.

"You're the one that asked for my he—"

"Are you saying that I'm completely hopeless without your help? That on my own I can't accomplish anything?"

"I never once doubted your skills, Sasuke. I just—"

"Well you're wrong. I don't need you!"

It was supposed to be a simple training session. Sasuke would come in, they would begin exercises; he would teach him a new technique in handling his weapons or increasing his speed. But now this? Someday they would be rivals, someday he would grow resentment towards him. It was always _some_day, not _to_day.

"All our parents ever see is you. It's always 'Itachi this' or 'Itachi that.' I'm sick of living in your shadow and pretending that we're the loving brothers everyone expects us to be."

It really did hurt him to hear those words.

"Tch, you just…piss me off…"

He stared blankly, watching as his brother brushed past him.

"I'm done here. I'm going to prepare for my mission."

It was always 'someday' in his head. Somewhere far off in a distant future and as unreachable as the heavens. That no matter how hard he sought out to grasp, only emptiness would return. And they would continue to live on their normal roles. He never expected to reach out and catch it. Never expected that day would come so soon.

With a sigh of resignation, he left the area and headed back into town. With nothing really planned that afternoon, Itachi walked around aimlessly. He imagined he could go train on his own, but he didn't really have the will or energy to do anything. His stomach began to profess its hunger so he decided that eating was a better solution to this latest problem. It would help take his mind off of Sasuke's sudden coldness.

He went to the nearest takoyaki stand and decided he would eat those for a snack. His mother used to make them when he was growing up, and he had to admit, comfort food was what he needed at the moment. He retrieved his order as soon as it was ready. A scowl present on his face as, this time, he was well prepared for the intrusion.

"What are you doing, following me? And don't you have work at headquarters?" Itachi followed his friend's movements as he too retrieved an order of takoyaki. The two walked away from the stand and found a stone bench to eat their snack.

"Well, my work wrapped up early, probably because I started complaining too much about guard duty tonight. You know what they say. You don't get, if you don't ask."

"Or whine in your case."

"Whatever works."

"Spoiled brat…"

"Bitter virgin…"

Itachi's glare was deadly and Shisui thought that maybe he _did_ go a tad far that time. But he continued to smile nonetheless. The reaction was priceless.

"Anyway, I didn't come find you to pick a fight. I came to talk to you about something else."

"Oh…?"

"There's this girl I met today…"

"As opposed to every other day?"

"Just hear me out, okay?"

He returned the glare again.

"You don't care listening to this, do you?"

"Not at all..."

"Good, then I'll continue!" He smiled triumphantly.

Itachi sighed as he nibbled on his first takoyaki. Shisui always did have a way with words…a way to twist them, anyway.

"It all happened right after I bumped into you, actually. I was heading back to headquarters, when I find this wallet on the street. Followed the owner and ended up meeting this really pretty girl, a kunoichi."

Itachi continued to eat his takoyaki, genuinely listening. Though not particularly interested at the topic, he wanted to get the fight with his brother from earlier out of his head. In any case, he really needed the companionship at the moment.

"You going to ask me how she looked?"

He did in his own way. It constituted a simple glance with no expression and then his attention was back to the takoyaki. It really didn't intrigue him. Shisui was always after a woman one way or another. Strange how a man deemed to be a highly respected shinobi of equal caliber to his own would be so weak when it came to females. When Itachi was first introduced to Shisui they had been fairly young; he hadn't even entered Anbu yet. They were friends during their chuunin years and then promoted to jounin at roughly the same time. He always looked up to Shisui who was a few years older than him. He thought of him as an older brother, someone of admirable qualities. Shisui was adamant in protecting his family, his clan-though he wasn't too big on the politics of it. The man would take a mission despite how dire the consequences would be if not succeeding. And no matter the pressures, he would never let it faze him. Always greeting people with a warm smile. How was it possible for one man to assume that much pressure and not break? And so Shisui had been his role model, someone to look up to. It was why he never let pressure get to him. If Shisui could do it, then so could he.

But Itachi figured out too soon how that came to be. By the time Shisui was of right age, he had found an outlet, a way to release all the built up tension. Women were his one true weakness. It wasn't a secret for long. Coworkers and comrades both in and out of the Uchiha clan would joke with Shisui about it or inquire who his latest conquest was. Some of the less experienced men would ask him what his secret was to attracting females. The more experienced would share their stories and compare tactics. But he always remained out of it. Shisui had confronted him many times about what girl he liked. He remembered his friend laughing a bit when he confessed he never shared an intimate moment with a woman. But Shisui wasn't laughing because he thought he should have by that time. No. It was something else altogether. _You're Uchiha Itachi. Women practically drool over you. How can you _not_ be with someone by now?_ But despite his popularity—whether it be women or comrades—he was never once approached directly. Whispers, giggles, swoons, letters. But nothing more. They were intimidated. And it never bothered him that women didn't approach him. In fact, he never even gave women a thought unless someone brought it up and forced a response. But it was the idea that _no one_ had approached him that was disturbing. Even back at the academy, kids would whisper things, point at him. He could feel their gazes from behind. Uchiha Itachi was unapproachable. He wondered if it was his disposition, his family or clan that scared them off. No, it was just him: Itachi, the creepy genius. Shisui was the only one who approached him. And her…

Shisui 'tsked' his behavior and continued. "She's got long blonde hair, _very_ hard to come by outside the Yamanaka family. Blue eyes, which I have to be honest, are a lot more attractive than those dull dark brown and black eyes of the Uchiha women. Fair skin, which can rival our own and the Hyuuga's…"

Itachi continued to eat at an even pace but something about this seemed so familiar. Why did he not like where this conversation was going?

"We continued talking when I took her out for a treat and it turns out she and I have a lot in common. We both read manga. We both love sweets, walks under the moonlight and star gazing."

He always claimed to be fairly honest. It was the way he worded things sometimes that made people believe otherwise. But truth of the matter was a simple fact: he was a habitual liar, especially with women. Itachi frowned and looked at him in disbelief. "You _hate_ all those things. And you only sneak in manga to headquarters just to annoy the lieutenant."

"Ah, but _she _doesn't know that. Dating is a tricky business my friend. It's like a résumé. Sometimes you have to…_embellish_ a little. As long as the claim is not completely out of your scope, then it is still feasible, and therefore not technically a lie. I can learn to like those things. I probably won't even be focused on them when I'm with her." He gave Itachi a wink but earned no response in return.

"And we're supposed to be role models for children everywhere?" If anyone asked, he wasn't associated with him or his crazy cons.

"Come on. It's not so bad. Anyway, it's like a scene from one of those corny romance novels. Boy meets girl. Boy asks girl out. Girl and boy fall madly in love and there you have it. Strangely enough, I've never really seen her around in the village. She may have just blended well in the background. But I have a feeling that now I'll be seeing more of her. It's funny how life works out that way. People whom you dismissed as part of the background suddenly become involved in your life. And then they end up playing a bigger role than you thought intended. It usually starts out with a chance encounter, a meeting of fate. Some people call it dumb luck or a coincidence but truthfully, nothing in life is purely coincidental. There's usually a reason behind it. And it's amusing to think that sometimes it all begins with something so simple, such as a mundane trip to the market place as it was for me today. I ended up bumping into you and then her. In fact, I can't help but think that if I didn't bump into you, I wouldn't have met her at all. Or would I have simply met her another time? It's hard to say."

It was a rare occurrence when Shisui opened philosophical conversations with him. Whenever they met, the talk was usually simple. He would usually share with him what he accomplished that day and what missions he had soon. Sometimes they would even complain together about how sloppy the police organization was run, or how much they would prefer to skip work altogether. But when subjects with deeper meaning were mentioned, he would take the time to listen. It was his show of respect to Shisui, the man he believed in enough to consider a brother. Not once, however was the subject of women this deep. Most of what Shisui brought up about women was their physical beauty and then how his night usually went with them though he would be sure to cut him off early; he didn't appreciate that much detail. His words could easily be interpreted for a general meaning; they did apply to other things in life but he knew Shisui was still on the subject of that girl he met.

"It's unusual for you to speak so deeply about women. I never thought you to be so serious about the subject."

"Do you not think I can get serious enough to want a deep and meaningful relationship? Did it not occur to you that maybe someday down the road of life I would eventually meet someone that I would fall deeply in love with?"

There was no verbal response but one look said it all.

"Yes, you have a point. This is me we're talking about. But Itachi…she's really pretty."

Was he whining or trying to justify his claims? He couldn't tell. "You say that about all women you date."

"Yes, but this girl is exceptional. And think of how beautiful our children would be."

"Children?" Itachi actually smirked in amusement this time. "You never struck me as a marriage-type of man."

It wasn't a lucky hit he struck. He had planned where this conversation would lead. Baiting Itachi was something he had grown accustomed to learn doing. They were best friends and had known each other fairly long. And Shisui knew that this was the best bait he was going to get and hid a mischievous smile well from him. "I could get serious with this girl. And when I picture her with my surname, it all seems to fit."

Itachi shrugged it off and went to pick at another takoyaki.

"Uchiha…Usagi."

His picking stilled with a sharp poke, sharper than intended. It was almost the same feeling he had right before releasing a kunai straight at his opponent. "Usagi?" No, it couldn't be the same one but how many 'Usagi' actually existed? Not many, the name was not popular at all. It was unusual to find even one person named that, similar to finding more than one person named 'Itachi.' It was unique but it wasn't as if he catalogued every Konoha kunoichi into his brain's memory. Surely several hundred evaded even an Anbu shinobi. They were only aware of people they personally had to tend.

"Cute isn't it? And don't you think the name kind of fits? I mean, 'Tsukino' is also very fitting but I think—"

So it _was_ the same Usagi. Sharing the same given name was one thing but surname? No, there were no other "Tsukino" in this whole village. Something about the whole situation was unsettling. He never once paid mind to any of Shisui's affairs. But like everything else in life, only when things are personally relevant, do people begin caring more about the situations they come across. And it was that thought that whispered maybe it was why he was starting to pay a particular interest in Shisui's newfound love interest. But it was also Shisui's eyes—mocking, coaxing, daring. His eyes narrowed.

"I apologize but I have to leave now. I'm going to head home and work on some reports for Anbu. They're due tonight." He got up trashed the remains of the takoyaki box and vanished instantly.

Shisui, meanwhile, continued to eat his snack…

With a victorious smile.

* * *

He held two scrolls in each hand.

It wouldn't be possible to take both. He was already filling up his pack quickly. Deciding on the one on his right pertaining to medicine, he tossed the other one aside. He was already familiar with most of his current Katon jutsu so there really _was_ no need for him to bring it along. It was just that it was his first mission outside the country and he worried about not being prepared enough. But he supposed he needn't worry too much. He had other members of his team. Kakashi was well experienced and thus should be well equipped. Sakura was very bright and would most likely bring suitable equipment. Naruto would…He paused at that that. Well, two out of three isn't bad. He chuckled softly at the thought.

He grabbed a few capsules and studied them hard. Thoughts of Sakura and their earlier encounter resurfaced. She was simply making an attempt to help, and he couldn't, at the very least, kindly turn her away. Instead, leaving her to cry out of the shop. He was truly sorry. But he really did have a hard time apologizing to people and so he didn't bother to find her. Maybe just letting it fade away over time was a better option. She would bounce back. He stuffed the object in his bag and moved on.

He glanced momentarily at the next item he was putting away—the kunai. He remembered his earlier encounter with Itachi as well. Needless to say, it didn't exactly go as planned. He hadn't meant to get so angry and ignite a direct confrontation, but it really did piss him off to think about it all. It was just an overwhelming, asphyxiating feeling. Something breaching high above its levees. He honestly couldn't take it anymore. He had to breathe it out…

"Sasuke…"

He heard the faint call from right outside his doors. "Yes, kaa-san?"

"I made you a light meal to have before your mission. It may be the last warm meal for you in a while. Why don't you come eat in the kitchen after you've finished packing?"

"I'll be right there." He quickly gathered up the rest of his items and carefully placed them in his bag. His feet patted lightly on the tatami floor as he made his way into the kitchen. At the very least, he could enjoy a meal with his mother.

"I made you your favorite. Onigiri with slices of tomatoes. I've also sliced you some hard-boiled eggs. I want you to have a bit more protein before you leave here. And also have some of this grapefruit juice. It's very good for your immune system."

"Ah, kaa-san." His mother always did worry about him. Taking the cup she offered, he gulped the juice down fairly quickly, worried of the taste. He hated sweets but at least grapefruit had a hint of tanginess. Either way, for his mother, he was glad to do anything. Even if it meant drinking sugar cane juice.

"Any idea how long your mission will be?"

"Not exactly. Kakashi-sensei predicts at the maximum a couple of weeks. The land of waves is some ways away. The journey there will be at least a week if not more, considering we're escorting someone. It will take us half that time back since we'll all be sprinting most of the way. Our only mission is to escort this carpenter, a C-rank mission so I'm not too concerned with the duration."

"But still, this is your first mission away from Konohagakure, isn't it?"

"Yes." He smiled with pride.

Mikoto gave a soft smile, fully understanding how her son felt. "Good luck and take care. I have complete faith in your capabilities. Your team is lucky to have you. You'll do just fine." She brushed her son's hair a little and watched how shy he became.

"Ah…" Sasuke couldn't help but smile. Why couldn't everyone be like his mother?

After finishing up his meal, he left his dirty dishes in the sink and went to hoist his backpack over his shoulders. "I have to get going now. The sun is going to set soon and our team made arrangements to meet up around that time."

Mikoto's eyes grew a little teary. She held a hand up to her mouth to stifle the cries threatening to escape. "Oh, my little boy is growing up."

Sasuke flustered, a tiny blush on his cheeks becoming evident. "Kaa-san, cut it out. I'll be back sooner than you think."

"I know, sweetie. I know. It's just…" she gasped for air, "…this is the first time you'll be gone this long. And until now, it's always been just you and me. It's going to be so quiet with you gone…I just…"

"Kaa-san! Don't cry, it's embarrassing."

"Oh you! Come here and give your mother a hug," she reached out to him and he smiled softly at her.

Sasuke reached out to hug her and was doing fine, until his mother released the hug and grabbed both his arms. He winced, visibly.

"Sasuke, honey. What's wrong?" her face was serious now and she removed his arm sleeves, instincts guiding her to the source of his pain.

He felt the need to explain at her widened eyes. "I just cut myself in training earlier."

"Sweetie! Here, let me take these bandages off and…" she nearly fainted at the sight. "This is serious, Sasuke. We need to disinfect this quickly. But you'll still need to go to the hospital to have it properly checked."

"No, it's fine. Besides I don't have time. I have to get going now." He waited to hear her reply but she went to the medicine drawer to fetch something. And when he saw that dreaded spray, he paled.

"It's only going to sting a little bit, Sasuke."

"No."

"Sasuke, sweetie. It's just some medicine. It will be over before you know it."

"No."

She anticipated his next movements as she had years of experience dealing with it. And with skill and determination, she crossed the room in a few quick strides. Unfortunately, her son had also acquired amazing reflexes and speed. She may have been outmatched this time.

"Sasuke, don't make this difficult!"

He dodged her next jump and ran through the hallways. Corridor after corridor, he sped through, dodging his mother who kept blocking every escape route he had. After running around for quite some time, he finally decided to try using cunning to get past her. Perhaps if he pretended to go through with it and bolted when her guard was down…"Okay, fine. I give in. Just hurry it up. You know I hate that stuff."

Mikoto cocked an eyebrow. "Tell you what. How about I just give this to you and you can take it with you on your mission? Here, take these dirty sleeves to the hamper and put on new ones. At the very least, you should do that. I will not have my son wearing soiled clothing."

Sasuke looked at her skeptically but complied. He walked up to her and grabbed his sleeves.

Mikoto seized his arm and pulled him towards her, effectively destroying her son's balance. With one quick movement, she sprayed the liquid on his wound and winced slightly as he yelled in pain.

"That hurt!"

"Serves you right for trying to fool me."

He pouted. He should have known better than to trick his mother, after all, he got his cleverness from her. Sasuke began to curse vehemently under his breath. He was glad his brother was nowhere around. What was it he said earlier about not wanting to be smothered or treated like a child? It would blow his cover, not to mention add insult to injury.

"Is anyone there?"

Then again, having his brother gloat and taunt was better than downright humiliation. That voice…he knew who it was instantly.

"I bet that's your teammate. I'll just let her know what's going on. Maybe she can escort you to the hospital."

But he didn't want her to know. How would he explain everything? That Naruto nipped him with his weapon simply because he wasn't paying attention? That he was a baby for his mother and that rubbing alcohol and medicine terrified him? That at one moment, he actually screamed from the pain of something so small and insignificant. To Naruto he may have been a bastard and to Kakashi he may have been just another student. But at the very least to Sakura he was still a hero. And he really wanted to keep that image intact, to preserve _some_ dignity at least.

He watched it all in slow motion. His mother walking towards the shoji doors. Her hand reaching forward to slide them open. His brother beating her to the punch…

"What? When did he get here?" He watched as Itachi swiftly beat his mother to the doors and slid them open. He watched as his mother looked up at him perplexed. He watched as Sakura glanced up at him with anxiety.

"Is Sasuke-kun here? I was waiting at the spot and, um, I know it's still early but he's usually one of the first ones there…"

"Ah, my brother is around. And you'll have to excuse Sasuke's tardiness. We were training and lost track of time. We tend to lose ourselves in our training since we rarely get to see each other anymore. It was my mistake. I should have been more responsible." Itachi bowed in apology.

"Is he okay, though? I, um, heard screams."

Itachi bore a faint sheepish smile. "I might have gone a bit overboard. I apparently knocked Sasuke on a sore spot. He tried to hide it from me the entire training session and did a fairly good job." He glanced back at his brother who didn't dare lock eyes with him, making it hard to read his expression.

"Sakura-san, I know it's a bit sudden to ask but if you can make a quick stop by the hospital before your mission to have it looked over, we'd greatly appreciate it. I'm afraid we don't have the adequate supplies needed to tend to his wound."

She watched Sasuke who was approaching them cautiously. Her eyes immediately finding the wound Itachi mentioned. "It actually doesn't look that bad. It's not a deep laceration so he won't need stitches. But if he doesn't want a permanent scar, we need to go get it mended now. There's still some time before we have to meet up. And knowing Kakashi-sensei, he'll be late anyway, so…" she trailed off awkwardly. Sasuke had yet to reply.

"It's settled then. I'll leave it up to you, Sakura-san. Sasuke…"

"Ah," he followed Sakura as she backed away from the entrance. As he passed by Itachi, he held his gaze, only this time, without any animosity. Despite how much of a jerk he was earlier and how likely he hurt his feelings, his big brother was still there to protect him. Even if that only meant salvaging his pride. And he was sorry, he honestly was. He never once let Itachi defend himself, accusing him of things of which he was most likely innocent.

He said no words as he brushed by him. Between brothers, sometimes words weren't necessary. But one look, one glance, one gaze said it all. And he left the household feeling just an ounce higher in spirits knowing that maybe, just maybe, his brother cherished the moments they shared together.

Just as much as he did.

"I, um, earlier…if I said or did anything to offend you…well, I really am sorry."

Sakura was nervous now. But ironically, so was he.

"No, you didn't do anything. I was just…having a bad day."

"But you're okay now?"

He smiled at the thought of his brother. "Yeah, I'm okay now."

"That's good. I was really worried about you. And well, I didn't want anything to happen to you. You really mean a lot to me…the team I mean! And well, I just want to say thank you. Our team is really lucky to have you." She took a momentary pause to grab something from her pack. "Here, drink this. It's good for you and it will help your immune system, just in case you did catch an infection from that wound."

He took the small bottle and stared at it. And when he glanced back at Sakura, he suddenly saw his own mother smiling back at him. Maybe it was her words, her consideration or genuine worry of him, but he found himself smiling back his gratitude. "Ah."

They both looked away from each other, more awkward then before. He didn't share a deep enough bond with Sakura to convey all his emotions with one look, and he felt words alone would not be enough. He had a habit of stumbling with them around her. Just like before, he would most likely spout off the wrong thing. And so he did what he thought could only get through to her.

"Let's hurry up before we're even later than Kakashi." He grabbed her hand and led her toward the hospital in haste. His features becoming more relaxed as he saw her smile.

Itachi and Mikoto had watched the two leave. One with a sigh, and one with a smile.

"They're so cute together."

He gave a soft chuckle. He silently watched the spectacle earlier. And when he heard his little brother's teammate calling for him, he knew what he had to do. Despite their problems, it was his job as the older brother to protect Sasuke—from anything necessary, including humiliation. And so he quickly intervened and came up with the quickest explanation. As long as the claim was not completely out of the scope of the situation, then it was still feasible, and therefore not technically a lie. Weren't those Shisui's words more or less? The moron actually came through.

He turned to his mother who still to this point did not seem to understand the severity of the situation. So Itachi smiled kindly.

"It isn't wise to injure a man's pride. Even if that man is only twelve years old."

"He's still my baby boy."

"And he's still my baby brother. But Sasuke also needs room to grow on his own; we have to respect that since the moment he received that headband, he was no longer a child."

Mikoto sighed. She knew Itachi was right and reached out to his hand for comfort. "Yes, I know. I just…miss having him around all the time. That's all."

Itachi squeezed in reassurance. "Ah…"

She began to pat her son gently. "Yes and now that he's no longer here, it'll be just us two for the moment." Mikoto's patting began to slow down. "Just… us…two…" she whispered again to herself until it finally clicked. She looked up at Itachi and smiled. The sadness suddenly washed away. "I'm going to make some tea. Won't you care to join me for a quick break?"

His brother was off on a mission, which would take at least a couple weeks. Unfortunately, that left Itachi to deal with his family alone. And without the excuse of 'I'm going off to train with Sasuke,' there was very little he could do to escape being with them. And a short tea break before parting to deliver his finished work sounded like a harmless idea, so he nodded and followed her into the kitchen.

She prepared the sweet mango tea and passed it over to her son who was situated in front of her. Nervous and excited all at the same time about what she planned to do.

"So, sweetie, how was your day?"

He wondered if he should answer it truthfully and risk a long conversation or cut it short with a polite 'fine, thank you?' Considering he really did not want to be here when his father returned, he simply replied with the latter, assuming she would accept it at face value and leave him be.

But as he watched his mother humming away as she prepared the tea and glancing at him with, what he considered, creepy smiles, he hesitated on sitting at the table. There was just something odd about the way she pranced around the kitchen today that reminded him of the distinct feeling he had been harboring all day long. An instinct silently spoke to him, telling him that the moment was far from fleeting. And had he known the consequences that would soon incur from _not_ taking control of the conversation, Itachi would have gladly followed Shisui's advice and embellished his 'fine, thank you.'

Even if only just a little…

**End Chapter**

**

* * *

**

Author's Notes:

It has been a long time since I updated. The only true excuse I have is work getting in the way. Good news is I do have some unfiinshed scripts of chapters and have outlined every chapter for this story in general. It's looking to be about 12-18 chapters. Somewhere in between there. I want to keep the page count at more than 20 pages. Something about it being less makes me unhappy and unable to get all the story out in one go.

To those of you STILL keeping up with this, thank you truly, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart. I really love this pairing and I really am enjoying the thrill of writing such an epic (what I consider anyway) story. I have seen many xovers and even those of Itachi/Usagi but none to the length that I hope this story will progress. To keep it more interesting, I am including side-stories with different characters. I think it's also important for a good story to have a strong supporting cast and I really wanted to do more for others like Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura and yes, even more from the Sailor Moon cast which is still to come. Look foward to characters such as Minako, Makoto and several others. I enjoyed sketching out their roles for this story. Also, more love conflicts for those of you pondering about the two love birds. And while I really wanted to get right to the ItaUsa bonding, I really do feel that it can't be rushed. As promised, Usagi returns as a permanent chara for this story. She will most likely play a bigger role further down and you will see a LOT more of her as the story progresses but this is mainly an Itachi story.

**Common questions/comments: **  
I hope you enjoy the pace of this story. It is not overly rushed like I see most stories being done. I hope its not too slow but I am trying to get in all the characters ready for the main lump of the story. I have been watching asian dramas which I use as inspiration since I think they have the best flow of any stories. Not too fast, not too slow and very believable despite how crazy the drama gets.

There WILL be Itachi and Usagi DIRECT interaction. Simply just not now. But soon...VERY VERY soon

* * *

**Preview:**

Chapter 4: Mikoto shoots Itachi. Excuse me...takes a shot at Itachi. Well you know what I mean. MAJOR humor ensues and poor poor Itachi. I wonder if he's ready for "the talk".

Chapter 5: UBER MAJOR ItaUsa interaction. The chapter is pretty much dedicated to them.

* * *

Thank you, once again, to all my wonderful readers and beta Chibi. Without you guys, this story would genuinely not be possible. All comments, ideas, support are greatly appreciated. And as always, review if you like.

_~Icehaze_


	4. III Sentential

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Sailor Moon, but boy if I did, I'd buy a big house...no? No one gets the reference? LOL ok  
**Timeline:** Non Massacre, slighlty alternate  
**Author's Notes:** Not as big a wait as last time but still not what I hoped for. Sorry guys, midterms and all...  
**Warning:** Language and suggestive situations (This one not so bad)

* * *

**Sentential**

* * *

There was just something about the power of a mother. It didn't matter who you were. Be it the swiftest and most devious ninja, the most relentless and powerful of all samurai or even the most shrewd and cunning of any politician. There was just an incredible command of respect and reverence. The ability to control a situation, the wisdom to carefully judge a person's character, the intelligence to meticulously plan every move, the charisma to manipulate others, and the tenacity to never betray a single conviction. They were undeniable truths to a mature woman. And as he sat watching his mother casually fiddling around with her tea cup, one fact was so very clear.

"Would you like some sugar, sweetheart?"

It terrified him beyond belief.

"Ah."

He accepted the glass canister carefully, opening the top and placing it aside as a small spoon gathered a small amount of sugar and dissolved it into his cup, sparing only one glance at his mother as he accomplished the task. She was giving him small smiles and relishing in the taste of her drink, and Itachi immediately denied the part of his mind that yearned to relax. The day was full of surprises at every turn, and had he been prepared for what exactly it entailed, he may have been fine. But the day was far from over and in any case, he had learned his lesson.

He watched the clock every now and then, trying hard to focus on his mother while trying hard not to focus on that heavy feeling of scrutiny and impending disaster.

"How was your day, sweetie?"

"Fine."

"Was it really? That's good to hear."

"Ah…"

Fine was merely a state of mind that relied on an individual's perspective. Even though the day had left him mentally exhausted, he was still physically okay. And relaxing at the thought that things between Sasuke and him had patched up fairly well, it crossed his mind that it was no lie; everything was indeed fine. He sipped his tea, satisfied with that thought and found why his mother relished in it. It was rather exotic in taste. Lightly sweet with an underlying sensation of a tropical fruit he couldn't quite identify. But it was delicious nonetheless. And perhaps if he pretended to be thoroughly enjoying the tea, she wouldn't think much of his presence.

"Any plans for tonight?"

There were no real plans in mind. The day itself had been packed with much excitement, too much for him in fact. But the night, he simply wanted to shower and sleep. He was sure the next day would be just as eventful and being the busy person he was, it was important to be opportunistic, especially when it came to resting his weary body.

He raised his head from the tea cup and gazed at his mother, ready to offer his usual single-word response. But it was her eyes that had him momentarily faltering in his composure. Dark eyes which held their usual gentle allure. They always were towards her family. Calm, gentle, soothing and warm. All that was still intact. But Itachi also saw something else. Something he didn't see often. It was impish and focused yet outlined with an aloof façade. And with her next words, it was déjà vu all over again.

"Well sweetie, if you're not too busy. There _are_ a few things I would like to discuss with you."

He put his cup down and kept his focus on her. "About what?"

"Nothing too important. I just wanted to touch base with you in your life. We hardly have moments where it's just you and me. I find it rather refreshing honestly. So tell me, Itachi…anything new in your life?"

To anyone else, it would have warranted a grunt or shrug of the shoulders. But his mother was extremely critical of his usual short and curt responses. She often reprimanded both her children on that faulty trait that was undoubtedly inherited from their father. And so a conversation with her usually entailed more than just a simple nodding of the head or a positive or negative reaction. He actually had to speak. An annoyance, but it was his mother after all.

"Nothing in particular, work has been fairly stable since I started in Anbu."

"Oh but there are things you do outside of Anbu, aren't there? And surely those aren't static as well."

"No, I suppose not."

"I would like to hear about those things too. I have updated information on your brother and your father, but you have remained elusive to me. Surely you're not trying to become a stranger to your own mother."

He frowned as she let her lips set on a small pout. He hated it when women did that.

"No, I've just been fairly busy is all. And I don't know if there's anything of value to you that needs to be reported."

"Well, I'll be the judge of that. Let's start off simple. How is Shisui? Are you two boys getting along okay? It's probably hard for you two to meet often with your busy schedules."

"Actually, I just saw him today."

"Oh did you? That's wonderful. I'm sure you had much to catch up on. So what did you boys do?"

"We just had something to eat and talked."

"And what did you boys talk about?"

"Work, mostly."

"Mostly? Then there are other things you discussed, correct?"

"Correct."

"Such things as…?"

"Shisui always talks about the same things when we meet."

"And that would be…?"

He sighed before giving her an exasperated stare. He knew where she was getting at and whether it was simple teasing for her personal amusement or a much bigger cause was uncertain. Regardless, it wasn't easy for him to admit such things.

"Women."

She giggled into her teacup before wiping a few stray drops on her chin. "That boy. He never changes. I hear the women constantly gossiping about his latest victim. Well, one thing is for sure. At least he usually dates more experienced women. I would hate to see him prey on the younger, more innocent ones. Such a scandalous boy."

His eyes slowly drew upwards to her face, ears twitching in hidden curiosity. And it wasn't a secret to him why that was so.

"Well, in any case, most women go through their dangerous phases."

He raised an eyebrow, but to his mother, it may as well been a verbal reply.

"Most women go through a period of time, usually in their younger years, where they are attracted to dangerous men. It's hard to say what the appeal is, but I suppose it has a lot to do with the rush and the fact that it aggravates our parents so much. Just like when I dated your father."

He choked a chuckle into his teacup at the thought. His lips turning upwards in amusement.

"Hey now! I'll have you know that your father was a bit of a heartbreaker back in his days. And he was such a rascal that my parents detested me dating him."

No longer able to withhold the laughter, he let out a few low strung chuckles. "I can't exactly picture it."

"And what exactly do you have to go by, hmm? Do you have any women in your life to compare?"

Itachi sharply gazed at his mother as she carefully lifted the tea bag and dipped it in and out of the cup—indicating that she was allowing him time to answer. In an elegant tune, her fingers began to tap on the hardwood table—a sign that he was perhaps taking quite a bit of time. And the loud sipping while never breaking from his gaze…she was not going to accept an evasive answer. And he had to hand it to her in her segue. It was far more impressive than his father's. He admitted it; he walked into this one.

"No."

"And why not? Surely you don't expect your mother to believe that at your age and given the company of friends you always keep that you still, to this day, remain a single man."

"I'm afraid that between my missions, time at Anbu and the police corps that I really don't have time for anything else. I rarely have any personal time as it is."

"Oh don't give me that excuse. Shisui is just as busy as you and the boy still maintains many healthy relationships."

He half snorted. "I wouldn't say that."

Mikoto smiled at the thought. "No, I suppose I agree with you there. But you know, men at your age, surely they think about having a girlfriend or dating casually from time to time? Why, your father began dating me when he was twenty one and we got married by the time I was twenty-five. Now…" She stopped him before he could give the old 'times have changed' defense. "I know that times have changed since your father and I were young but I don't want you to feel like you're missing out on life."

"Not everything is about being in a relationship. Sometimes people are dealt unwanted hands. As a captain, my duty as a shinobi exceeds everything else. I can't allow trivial acts to interfere with my job."

Mikoto sighed, understanding her son's reasoning. She gave a small stretch before leaning on her hand heavily. "Whatever happened to the old days of romance and courtship? Of a time when men would give women flowers, write beautiful poems and serenade them under the moonlight?"

He blinked once, then twice. "He definitely didn't do all that."

She sighed. "Once again, you underestimate you father. Although, you are right about the serenading part. But he really did bring me flowers and write me letters!"

"Hmm."

"And wouldn't it be nice if you had a wonderful girl to share these experiences with? Unless of course…"

"No." He silenced that train of thought immediately.

"Of course not. It was simple teasing, sweetie." She sighed in relief, glad that the earlier gossip at the bathhouse was just that—silly rumors. "But you know honey, if it's for lack of time, I can always search for you. Hunting is the hardest part in finding a suitable companion. Luckily, I know a few girls from our clan who would probably—"

"No."

"What? Don't you trust my taste?"

"It's just not necessary is all."

"Not necessary?" Her lips curved up. "Why would you say that?"

"It would just be a waste of time on your part."

"And why would that be? I'm your mother. It wouldn't be a bother at all."

"I'm just not interested in meeting other women."

"Other women…" she echoed. "Very well, then." She smiled in content, returning back to her sweet tea.

He took one momentary glance upon her withdrawal from that train of thought, trying to decipher what his mother's angle was. It was nothing new, her talk of grandchildren. As the eldest brother, he was often the common target for such conversations since his mother still had it in her head that Sasuke was the seven year-old boy that played with plastic shuriken and bore a fairly large green dinosaur toy in his arms. And so, in the very rare moments they had together, a small conversation about when he would eventually bless the family with future little Uchiha was not unheard of. And especially, talk of finding him a suitable partner.

"You know, I remember when I first met your father. Did I ever tell you that story?"

He shook his head, honestly never recalling the incident.

"Well, actually, we first met during the chuunin exams. I was taking mine for the first time and he, already having passed them, was serving as a proctor for the written part of the exam since Ibiki was not available. I remember, during the exam, I reached over to grab a pencil from my friend's stack. Next thing I know, a kunai is flying straight past me and lands right into the wood, not even one inch away from my fingers. He tells me to stand up and state my name. He then accuses me of cheating and demands I leave the examination room immediately. I was so angry and tried to explain the situation. I distinctly remember a few choice words for him in my speech. And you know what he did?"

Itachi neither replied nor shook his head, simply giving his mother a glance. And to Mikoto, it was enough. It stated, at the least, that he was actually paying attention.

"He failed me."

He glanced up in surprise. Not once expecting his father to have failed his mother with something so trivial. He assumed she would have been upset but his curiosity grew when he noticed his mother blushing slightly.

"After the exams were over, and my teammates and I split up to go home, I noticed your father waiting for me by my house. Needless to say that I was not exactly thrilled to see him. But nevertheless, there he was, in all his confident glory. He spares only a glance at me and walks off, an obvious invitation to follow, which I did. When we find ourselves in a fairly secluded area, he turns to me and asks, 'Do you know why I failed you?' Well naturally I don't. And he says to me, 'It was because you weren't prepared.' I had no clue what he meant at first, honestly. 'Out of all the students in the class, you were the only one without the proper utensils and consequently, came unprepared. In the ninja world, that would mean you going into battle completely unequipped, and that would spell death to your team and the mission. If you couldn't come prepared for a simple written test, I didn't expect you to succeed in the second part of the exams. Furthermore, that exam was more of a test of mettle. If you had actually ignored me and stayed for the end, adamant in your decisions, you may have passed. The fact that you chose to leave told me you indeed were not ready to progress…'

"I was shocked to say the least but understood his reasoning. Afterwards, he asked me if I was going to try again for the next exam. And I agreed to try again. He suggested that I brush up on more physical training and try to come prepared next time. I was a bit embarrassed but then he said to me something that I knew would have a profound impact on both our lives. He says to me, 'Come to the library tomorrow after you finish your grocery shopping.' And he leaves right after. He was planning on helping me for the exams. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized something."

His eyes met her in a steady gaze, the story having effectively sucked him in. And the blush on his mother's cheeks grew bigger by the second.

"Your father, he didn't fail me in order to spare my team. He did it, so he could find a way to see me again. It didn't hit me until later, that I never once told him when I did my grocery shopping. And I realized right then and there why he really did what he did. I met him in the library and you know what he had for me?"

He shook his head.

"A case of pencils. We got straight to work and that was that. And after that day in the library, we just kept finding excuses to see each other. He would find me after one of my missions, come over to my house or even have his friends deliver notes to me. So you see, your father is quite a romantic man when he wants to be."

Itachi's eyes snuck a peak at her face before fixating themselves once again on the teacup. He picked it up and gently mixed more sugar in by swirling the contents. And after giving his lips another taste, he simply responded with a grunt.

Mikoto, who had locked gazes with her son, offered him a sly smile. "And so what about you? How is your courting moving along?"

"Hmm. Stagnant." His lips quirked up into a playful smile. Somehow, he liked aggravating his parents. But when he noticed his mother's smile widening, _his_ smile faltered.

"Trouble in that department?"

"No."

"Then you're doing fine?"

He paused, a deadly, serious look to his face. His mother had once again evaded his gaze by sipping more of her tea and upon seeing her relaxed body, he realized that she may indeed know something he didn't. He reflected upon the entire conversation and the only thing he could conclude is that somehow, his mother got it in her mind that he was sporting a girlfriend. He wondered what influenced this conclusion. It was a very farfetched story considering that the usual company he kept was not only strictly professional, but mostly comprising of men from the workforce. If he somehow influenced his mother's irrational conclusions, he was completely dumbfounded as to how. He didn't think he ever once led her to believe such ideas. And so, his brain hit into overdrive, trying hard to figure out, what or rather _who_, did he spend enough time with to allow her to indulge in such fantasies. Aside from several kunoichi acquaintances he met in his line of work, he could honestly count the number of women directly involved in his life with his hands.

As far as work went, there was Taji and Yugao, both being older than him and already in relationships. His mother may have come across them conversing, since he and Yugao had done some Anbu assignments together. But he didn't think he ever gave anyone the impression of an infatuation or affair. His mother was, however, the queen of drama, and surely a simple passing of scrolls could eventually lead to eloping in her mind.

He groaned at the idea.

In the family department, there were a few Uchiha members that he did communicate with. Most of them being cousins and many of them were much older than he was. And the only time he ever encountered them was during a family assembly. Even then, it was a mere run in, a quick greeting, and then he was off to duty. That was as far as females within his family.

Outside of work and family…that was even more difficult. There was Sakura, one of Sasuke's partners, but she was far too young; they hardly even communicated. And despite his brother's insinuations, he honestly had no interest in a twelve year-old girl. In any way, no matter how much his brother denied it, he knew how enamored he was with her. A little batting of her eyes and the drawled out 'Sasuke-kun' had him completely turn into a pile of melted ice-cream or as Shisui once put it, whipped. Of course, Sasuke would intentionally give her the cold shoulder, pretend she didn't affect him and refer to her voice as 'annoying' but all kids his age said and did things like that. He blamed that mostly on lack of hormones for if Sasuke bore any, he would all but chase the girl away. He smirked at the thought. When that time did come, would Sakura be able to handle his volatile little brother? It would surely be amusing.

Itachi reached over and picked up the tea kettle, pouring in more water into his herbs and then setting it back down before he gently picked up a spoon and stirred it all together. He let out a sigh as he realized that perhaps his mother was insinuating things based all on any of the aforementioned women. And he thought in dreadful anxiety, that if she did assume such things, how much would she interfere? Women had a habit of making his life complicated. Whether it was coworkers or family. Even Usagi herself was a handful.

At the sudden thought of Usagi's name, he placed his cup down immediately and looked up at his mother who was humming to herself, drinking her tea, pretending not to have a care in the world. And suddenly, thoughts began to surface. His mother had mentioned gossip of Shisui earlier, someone leaking her information about him. Then he thought about her story and the more he dwelled on it, the more he realized how very similar it was to how he met Usagi, and _their_ current way of communicating. And as he gazed at her casual demeanor and mysterious smiles, he came to two conclusions: either she somehow caught wind of Usagi and was now insinuating an affair or she was completely clueless and was now baiting him. To play it safe, he decided to feign innocence, much like he had done earlier that day.

"I stand by my previous statement. I am far too busy to indulge in trivial matters."

Mikoto flinched at his words, obviously not agreeing to his way of thinking. "And I stand by _my_ notion. They don't make men like they used to." She took a swig of tea before continuing. "But you know, if you ever _did_ have a girlfriend, please don't be shy with her. By all means, bring her around. That also extends to your friends, Itachi. I have never seen anyone, aside from the men at the police force, accompany you to this house. I would hate to think of my son being all alone without his fair share of company. Even your brother has maintained healthy relationships with Naruto and Sakura."

"They are his teammates. It's only natural they spend as much time together. Genin usually do allocate spare time to accomplishing tasks together in order to develop their communication and bonds; it makes the mission go more smoothly when a trust has been developed between one another."

"Don't feed me with protocol. Tell me, do teams go to movies together? Do they enjoy picnics in the park every Sunday afternoon or eat at Ichiraku Ramen every Friday evening _without_ the presence of their captain?"

"All activities that were _encouraged_ by their sensei, I assure you. It happened to me in my time as a genin. Once again, it is to strengthen the bond." His mother had a point though, Sasuke did spend a lot of leisure time with his teammates. He knew it stretched beyond a professional relationship. While they may have started out as mere teammates, he knew the bond between them had developed into something with much more substance. And he mentally laughed at the irony of his brother actually exceeding him in one aspect, for Sasuke had many more friends than he ever did or will. It was harder for him; he wouldn't deny that his father was much harsher on him in who he had contact with as opposed to his aloofness in Sasuke's life. He wasn't oblivious to it; he knew Sasuke's jealousy was justified. The focus was usually on him. And it was something he would willingly trade. Because of his father's strict attitude, he never once attempted friendships he knew wouldn't be approved. And he smirked at his mother's comment. It wouldn't be possible, due to that fact, to forego shyness and bring his friends. Maybe it would turn out okay and maybe it wouldn't. But risking it was another story. It explained Usagi's absence in his family's life.

"While we're on the subject, I am a little curious."

"Hmm?"

"What exactly _are_ you attracted to? As far as women goes anyway." She watched as he stiffened and decided to intercept his reply. "Now I know you don't want me to intrude, but indulge your mother. Just think of it as mere curiosity."

He opened his mouth and closed it again. For once, he honestly had no clue. Women weren't usually at the top of his list, let alone what he found appealing.

"Is it hair? Do you prefer long hair or short hair? Face? Light tones or dark complexion? Eyes? Lips? Body shape? Oh! And what about age? Is that a personal preference for you? I know men probably find it harder to deal with older women."

"I don't know," he sighed in response to all those questions.

"Well it's not a hard decision, sweetie. Just pick your choices."

"I don't have a preference, I guess."

"Well then, maybe you have a preference for other things. Like long legs or bigger…"

"Let's just drop the subject."

She smirked evilly. "Very well." She had used up all the bait Itachi would forcibly take. It was either time to move in for the kill, or lose this opportunity. Judging from Itachi's discomfort, she knew he would flee very soon. "Then I'll bring up one more thing I think is crucial to discuss with you. And I expect you to sit there while I talk and not take it lightly. Am I understood?"

"Ah."

"I have been…concerned about you as of late. You haven't been acting yourself lately. And I can't help but think that you are being influenced into doing things that may not necessarily be healthy for you." She made sure to choose her words carefully. It wasn't an attempt to condemn his actions. Merely a conversation to allow him time to _contemplate_ his actions and their repercussions, allowing him the opportunity to make his own decisions

He gave her the nod to continue. Itachi had every intention to listen to her, more attentive now than ever and fully thankful that she was now getting straight to the point. But her choice of words did stir a bit of confusion. He would have to decipher them.

"As you know, you have a lot of responsibilities in your life. And I completely understand that the job is quite daunting. I just want you to know how proud I am of you being able to make it this far."

He remained silent as requested by his mother.

Mikoto took a deep breath and clasped her hands together while letting her fingers tap each other feverishly. This was something that made Itachi even more anxious.

"And I know that sometimes the stress, well, can force you to do things to…_relieve_ it. And just because other people are doing it, doesn't mean you should feel pressured into doing it yourself."

Itachi sighed and decided to speak when she took a long pause. "I'm not taking drugs."

"I know that, honey!" She replied quickly.

"Nor am I an alcoholic…" he replied.

"I know, I _know_!" She held a small part of her hair in frustration and released it just as quickly as she grabbed it. Her eyes darted around the room trying to figure out what the best way was for her to get it out. Itachi didn't like people to keep him suspended so she decided to get the message across the same way _he_ would: straight to the point. And after a lengthy pause, she grabbed a hold of her chest and exhaled slowly in an attempt to steady her heartbeat.

"You see, sweetie, sex is a very emotional part of someone's life as it is physical."

Liquid mango spewed all over the table as Itachi was now violently coughing up the contents of his tea. He hadn't counted on her being so blatant.

"Oh, Itachi!"

She ran over to his side and began to help him get the liquid out of his lungs by patting his back. He wondered whoever came up with that bright idea. It wasn't helping at all.

"Keep coughing it out of your lungs!" She was beginning to worry frantically now but was stopped abruptly by Itachi's hand on her arm.

His coughing fit eventually settled, and he grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth clean.

"I'm so sorry, Itachi! But I didn't know how else to bring this up. Your father has never talked with you about it and you need to hear this!"

He stopped his mother with one hand in the air. "Kaa-san, I am very well aware of procreation."

She sighed heavily. "You see, Itachi. You don't! That's just it! It's not _just_ procreation. When two people love each other very much, they share a spiritual bond. It's more than just sex. And when you do find that person, you need to understand that it goes beyond just the physical pleasure. While that itself is very important in stimulating—"

The story of the "Birds and the Bees" wasn't something exactly new to him. With Shisui pestering him constantly and giving him a playback on most his outings, he learned all he needed to at a young age. On top of that, all the training and classes he had taken in biology during his orientation into Anbu. At that time, it had been protocol and so he never gave it much thought to feel embarrassed about the situation. But looking over at his mother, he began to feel uncomfortable. Somehow, this conversation was getting more awkward by the minute.

"Okay, so it starts off pretty simple usually."

He leaned heavily on one hand and gazed at her wearily.

"You meet a girl and you greet her. Only now, it feels _different_ when you do. You start to feel a tingling sensation and it fills you with so much anticipation that you can hardly wait until your next meeting." She frowned when she noticed his stares. "Haven't you ever felt that way before about _anyone_?"

"No."

She rolled her eyes. "Well of course not. Not when you keep things professional. And that's how it usually is…in the beginning. But you have to allow yourself to think beyond that level. For instance…oh let's see." She sighed and looked around the room, contemplating on the best examples but wanted one her son could work with. "Why don't we use a girl you know?" She desperately tried to think of one.

"What about Sakura?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You want me to fantasize about a twelve year-old girl?"

"Good point. Well…how about one of Shisui's girlfriends?"

"He hasn't kept one long enough for me to recall a face." He smiled inwardly; his mother would eventually run out of ideas.

"Oh! What about that girl you worked with in Anbu? Yugao! Let's use her as an example."

"She's already in a relationship."

"Well for this example, they broke up."

His mood fell once again.

"Okay, let's start with this. What do you think of her?"

"I don't."

She sighed, annoyed already at her son's smart ass responses. "I mean, do you find her attractive?"

"I don't know."

"Well think about it. Is she someone you could have se—"

He held up his hand to stop her. "Don't. I work with her."

"I'm just trying to give an example but fine. Let's think hypothetically. Say you meet a girl. And let's also say that you two worked together or were long-time childhood friends. You would, more than likely, only view her as just a friend, correct?"

"Ah."

"Well, let's say this girl developed more…attributes. You've taken notice of this and now suddenly, you no longer see her as your friend but something more. What happens now? Well, first of all—"

He glanced over at the clock, ignoring her completely at this point. He thought of all the excuses he could make to leave but remembered he did promise her that he would sit while she talked. He did not, however, promise he would listen. And he smirked at that. Ignoring was his specialty. And so he leaned back into his chair and let his mind loosen up. Eventually his thoughts turned back to his mother's previous statements. He couldn't picture being physically intimate with those women. True, he did find some fair, but that didn't necessarily mean the thoughts exceeded just a simple recognition of beauty. Luckily for him, the choice of women was scarce. And another fortunate factor was that his mother had no knowledge of Usagi. Now, he was sure of it.

And suddenly, another curious thought was conjured. He glanced over at the teacup, not really seeing anything, simply fixating his gaze in a direction as his mother's speech entered his mind subconsciously. He thought about how similar the situation was with Usagi. They started out very professional, much like the relationship between any female coworker and him. But much like Sasuke and his team, they eventually became more. Usagi was indeed a very good friend now; it was nothing he could deny. She had always been there for him, even in the miniscule of moments. Whether he needed a place to crash in emergency, wanted a hide away from his family or simply wanted someone to talk to, she was there for him. And thinking back to his mother's jabbering, he admitted, she was…charming, in her own idiotic ways. Aesthetically, he supposed she was what most men would consider attractive, still more room to develop but that was given her age. And in some ways most men would consider her a perfect candidate for…

Itachi stilled.

He thought about her hair. Her long, golden hair, something he often reprimanded considering her line of work. He thought about her long toned legs. How their length accented her looks to give her the appearance of being taller than she was. It was noticeable when she sprinted and were obviously responsible for her speed. He thought about her face and its light complexion. Every time they trained outside, the sun would cause it to redden and give her cheeks more color. He thought about her lips and how small yet gentle they adorned her face. Whenever she was angry or begging for a favor, they would often set into a pout that always had him nervous. Her eyes and how vivid a blue they were, almost mesmerizing. It was almost as if they possessed a doujutsu of their own. And then he thought of her body, petite and delicate. He recalled how easy it was for him to lift her up and how easily it was tossed from their sparring.

After contemplating it all, he thought of whether or not he would really consider being intimate with her. And that's when he really did curse his mother under his breath because now, his mind was traitorously thinking about her in a less than platonic kind of way_. _His head dropped in defeat at the realization of what he was doing. It was a dismal turn of events and a horrible development between friends.

"So, did you get all that?"

No. But he merely nodded.

"Okay now, here's the tricks of the trade. How to tell if she's also thinking about sex."

"First, there's the old 'repair job.' She will usually ask you to come by and fix something. Usually it's something stupid and easily fixed on her own. But the idea is to lure you into the trap." She fingered the last words before continuing. "And once she's reeled you in, she begins the seduction. It starts out simple, an offer for a massage if she noticed you're tired or aching. Then she'll ask if you would like to get situated, offering you food and simple entertainment while she 'freshens up' by showering and changing while you wait for her. But don't be fooled. It's all a ploy to lure you into the bedroom. And then, she'll ask if you would like something. Usually a drink or dessert and suggest you have it in her room because of something trivial like the lighting, seating or in general, comfort. Sometimes she'll say she has something 'to show you.' And once in her room, it all starts to fall apart and before you know it—"

"Kaa-san…"

"Oh now, sweetie. I'm not saying it's wrong to go along with it. But it's important to know if she wants it as well. Do not, for any reason, get the signals mixed up. Now I know you're a young man, and there are many _pressures_ that accompany your duties as a shinobi…" she rose and began to pace around the room.

"Kaa-san."

"But please don't think that this is the only way to handle the stress. I'm not saying it's wrong, but you have to understand the complications that come with having casual sex at such a young age."

"Kaa-san."

"There are emotional problems for one. Then there's pregnancy and while I _love_ the idea of being a grandmother, I would prefer if you were at a more suitable age to help raise them and if those babies all came from one mother. Which is why I need to make sure that it's only _one_ woman…" She gasped loudly. "And if it's not…have you been using any condoms?"

Talking to her wasn't working so Itachi stood up quickly and firmly, but gently, grabbed a hold of her shoulder, placing his hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Okaa-san!"

Her eyes widened considerably.

"I need you to stop moving, stop talking…" which she did on orders, "…and relax. There _are _no women. I am not Shisui so you don't have to worry about that. I will not, in this lifetime or any for that matter, practice any form of polygamous acts. Please rest assured that I am not relieving my stress with any bad influences. I promise you that. Enough with these silly accusations. I'm going to move my hand now, so please stop shouting. "

She watched him carefully, opening her mouth but quickly silenced by her son's stern look. She did indeed promise that she would not speak. And her son had reassured her that there were not multiple women in her life. Something to be grateful for and yet disappointed. While she was now assured he was not engaging in casual fornication, it also meant she was back at square one for her son now confirmed her fears. He was indeed single.

Mikoto watched as she noticed her son retreating from the kitchen. "Where are you going?"

"I have a report to finish and need to head over to the Hokage's tower to turn it in." He thought about how much he really didn't want to come back to this crazy house just yet. He had enough for one day from _all_ his family. "And I have some duties to attend to afterwards, just in case you're curious about my whereabouts later."

"Oh, okay. Will you be back in time for dinner?"

"I might run late. Don't wait up on me." Not wanting to stall anymore nor allow his father time to come home to see him, he hastily retreated before she could ask anything else. He disappeared into his room and began to prepare for his shower.

Once he gathered his clothes and entered the stall, he let the water fall hard on his face, as if it would wash away the conversation he just had with his mother, and more importantly, the entire day as well.

A part of him knew the day was not going to run smoothly. His instincts had never led him astray. Between his father's alleged interrogation, his brother's sudden outbursts and his mother's insistent need to engage a sex talk, it was a wonder why he hadn't lost his mind already. And thinking over it, he realized one unique trait between all three of them. They were all suspicious of his behavior. His mother had mentioned that his behavior has been recently erratic, but even as she said it, he couldn't think of one thing he had done differently. His father had hinted at a few things as well including his isolation, but that wasn't anything particularly new. He usually kept to himself.

There was something missing. A pivotal detail that would tie all these conversations together and explain their meaning. He thought of everything he could have missed. Some microscopic detail that would be the revelation, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. What was he overlooking?

He turned the knob to retrieve more warm water.

His father had accused him of ill intentions; he was sure of that. All his activities have, thus far, been strictly business. Whether it be the clan, the Hokage or his daily exercises and training. And as he thought back to every specific detail, he still could not figure out any form of communication that would have led to a misinterpretation of undesired practices.

Sasuke's outburst was no mystery to him. His little brother had always been jealous of him and for good reason. He suspected it had a lot more to do with attention and recognition of his own abilities more so than the resentment between siblings and rivalry. But it still didn't link, in his mind, to anything his father was accusing or his mother for that matter.

He released a breath of air as he shook his head. The only conclusion as to why she was insistent in her belief in him harboring women was the town gossips and quite possibly Shisui, who had been acting suspicious to him today. And as he thought about his friend, more and more images of Usagi kept popping up.

His mother accused him of being with a woman. She was adamant he was having sexual encounters. Yet, even she knew that there were hardly any that encompassed his lifestyle. Shisui had, coincidentally, encountered Usagi today as well. He was worried Shisui discovered something; his eyes held a suspicious glint. And if so, it was quite possible that he hinted to his mother that the relationship between the two was something more than simple friendship. Even though he didn't believe in coincidences, however, he still could not be certain that Shisui was aware of his friendship with the girl. It may, in fact, have just been a meeting by chance.

But all this still did not connect with his brother and father's thoughts. They seemed independent of one another, almost irrelevant. Yet the idea of Usagi would not cease to linger in his mind. If that was the case, there was something missing.

Itachi reached over to turn off the water and stepped out to get dressed. He hadn't lied to his mother; there really was paperwork he needed to wrap up and send to the Hokage's tower before dawn. And as he caught the scent of food being prepared, he realized it was getting time for his father to arrive. Not wanting to face them alone that evening, considering the day's events, he decided to forego his family's meal. It was best to just avoid the situation. He would have to hide out for the moment. Yes, escaping was good for now. Rethink the events, reanalyze the situation and then come back to tackle it. With firm resolution, he quickly got dressed, finished his paperwork and headed out before anyone could see him.

There was something there. Something he did overlook, the smallest of details. The crucial piece in deciphering this whole puzzle. It was there.

He just knew it.

* * *

"He looks just like my old sempai."

Usagi laughed at Makoto's dreamy state, clearly mesmerized by the sheer power the man was exhibiting. "You say that about every guy. That sempai of yours must have been one hell of a guy!"

"One hell of an _ugly_ guy."

Makoto's face fell looking over at her friend in disdain. "Shut up, Minako. You just don't appreciate the beauty of a strong and diverse man."

"I'm just saying I agree with Usagi. You say that about everyone and everything you meet. First it was the temporary cook at Ichiraku Ramen, then it was that janitor at the academy, the botanist in the hospital, the pineapple in the market and even one of Kakashi-sensei's nin-ken. This sempai of yours was either a shape shifter or some kind of chimera."

"He was a man of many talents."

"Sure. In anyway, I'd have to question your taste."

"My tastes are just fine."

"I don't know. I hardly consider Guy-sensei to be the epitome of sensuality." Her body shook in a cold shiver. Somehow, the idea was not agreeing with her appetite. "Blah!"

"Guy-sensei is charming! He has a lot more class than half the shinobi in this village!" Her shoulders were crossed and her eyebrows scrunched downward. She would defend him to the very end, even from useless bickering.

"Tch. Whatever. Now, Kakashi-sensei on the other hand. _That's_ a guy I could really let have his way with me." She swooned at the thought. The man was beyond just charming in her mind. And thoughts about being swept off her feet by him caused a different kind of shiver to run down her spine. It made her light blonde hair stand on end.

Makoto frowned. "The Yamanaka are a vain people."

"Well, the Kino lack aesthetic vision!"

Usagi shook her head at her friends. Having a strong bond meant being able to exercise the ability to speak freely. Makoto and Minako always had healthy debates. Whether it was a debate about men, tactical procedures in combat or even what flavor of ice cream tasted better. There was never a simple agreement between the two. And while most people would agree to disagree, Makoto and Minako wouldn't even agree to that. But it did have its benefits, for it was, more than anything else, a way to keep their wits up.

"What do you think, Usagi?"

Not wanting to be thrown in the middle of a guy feud, she simply threw her hands up in surrender. "Come on guys. These are old men. Don't you find it a little bit weird talking about them that way? I mean, I can't exactly picture myself kissing Guy-sensei…"

Minako smirked at Makoto.

"…or having an affair with Kakashi-sensei."

Makoto returned the smirk.

"I mean…they're…_old._"

"Mature men," Minako corrected. "And they're not much older than us. Plus, older men are much sexier than the younger ones."

"Yeah. Guys our generation really killed the courtship tradition. Now it's all about training and personal achievement. Pretty pathetic actually."

Usagi smiled. There was truth to their words. She saw it everywhere she went. Even with kids now at the academy. Before, there was at least the teasing and poking between a guy and a girl. That, at least, indicated some kind of interest. But nowadays, young girls were lucky if their crushes even _looked_ at them. She smiled, however, as she thought about Naruto. He was about the only exception as he never kept it a secret that he had a crush on his teammate, Sakura. But she also remembered, when he invited her to one of their group meetings, that it wasn't going to be easy. The hints were subtle, but her keen eye didn't miss them. Earning Sakura's love wouldn't be easy.

He had competition.

Minako smiled mischievously. "But maybe it's not all dead. After all, Usagi here has been recently courted."

"Usagi! You have to tell us more about this guy you met!"

"Not much to tell, he was just some guy I met…"

"…that flirted with you, bought you food and took you close to his home. That's pretty significant, don't you think so?"

She had to agree with Makoto. It was significant of something though she was sure her line of thoughts were much different than both her friends. It wasn't an entirely good significance in her mind. Shisui had done casual flirting and treated her to senbei. He asked nothing too personal of her, mostly hobbies and interests. But there was something not quite right about the meeting. Whether it was the fact that he was a policeman, an Uchiha or a close friend of Itachi's, she didn't know. But it did leave the tingling sensation of being closely investigated, despite his actions proving otherwise.

"Yeah, maybe."

Minako sighed. "Ah, Usagi. Our little Usagi is growing up and losing her innocence to an Uchiha of all people. You're actually pretty lucky. If I had to pick from any clan from our generation, outside my own, to date; it would definitely be someone from the Uchiha clan."

"What are you crazy? The Hyuuga clan is way hotter than any Uchiha."

"Please, they don't have that dark, sexy appeal that you only get from an Uchiha man."

"They're overrated and lacking in the social department. Hyuuga are much more classy and refined. They definitely know how to treat a lady."

Usagi shook her head again as her friends picked up a new debate. She didn't really have many experiences with Hyuuga outside of Naruto's little friends, Neji and Hinata. But if she were to judge the entire clan based on those two experiences, she would have to agree with Makoto. Hyuuga were much more self-composed and patient. Very regal. Uchiha still had that same composure but they did lack in class. While prudent, they were usually impatient or easily provoked. But Minako had a point, they really did have a dark attractive appeal. It was something she caught from Shisui. Even Itachi had it, something she begrudgingly admitted. Uchiha didn't need the extra ego boost.

"Usagi, what else did you and this Shisui guy do?"

"Did he take you off to his room?" Minako winked.

"Minako! Lay off. Besides, Usagi's not you."

"I resent that."

She decided to continue her story before they could begin another fight. The encounter with Shisui had left her to question his motives and what better way to gauge innocent flirting than her friends—both of whom had more experiences with men than she did.

"We didn't do much aside from some conversation and eating. He actually only encountered me because I was careless enough to drop my wallet. After he brought it to me, it was pretty much everything I told you already. So what do you think?"

Makoto smiled. "I think he may genuinely be interested in you. Not only did he buy a meal for your—"

"_Meeting."_

"_Date._ But he even took you to meet some of his relatives! Usually that kind of thing is reserved until the relationship gets more serious."

"But it wasn't even his immediate family. Just more clan members. And they didn't talk much about me at all, just kept talking about…" she paused as she thought about that dangerous and taboo subject. "…something else. It didn't even have anything to do with me, really."

"I'm with Makoto on this one. I think he may really like you. What's the problem? Why not give him a chance if he is?"

"Well…I don't know. It just doesn't feel right to me."

"Hey, you asked us for advice, here you have it. Usagi, if you don't give some guys a chance, you'll never end up having a boyfriend."

She sighed. She wasn't sure if she wanted one or not at the moment, but even if she did, Shisui just didn't feel a perfect match. Especially considering his disposition with women; she was sure he was not exactly a gentleman, so to speak.

"We'll see."

And before Minako could retort to her nonchalant response, Usagi noticed the perfect distraction right before them. "Oh look! Guy-sensei is almost done with his demonstration."

"If everyone understood that, then I'll go ahead and take some volunteers."

Makoto was the first to shoot up and raise her hand enthusiastically, and Usagi and Minako were not surprised when she was chosen as the volunteer for his sparring practice.

"See kids? _That's_ the energy and excitement you need! Alright, Kino Makoto, approach the mat and we shall begin the exercises!"

As Makoto sprinted up to the mat, Minako leaned close to Usagi's ear. "Let's go over to the equipment and pretend we're exercising. The last thing I want to do is be volunteered for the next round."

Usagi agreed. She could deal with a few exercises but a full-on battle with Guy-sensei? Not only was he admired for his remarkable speed and stamina but his amazing raw power as well. On top of that, if he opened up any gates and went full throttle on someone, it would be much more than a limp away to the hospital. No, it was out of the question. "Yeah, let's go."

She walked over with Minako to the opposite side of the dojo that was designed much like any gym. After glancing at all the machines, she opted for the shoulder press, knowing full well that her legs were toned well enough and that her upper body strength was still lacking in basic power. But when Minako chose the leg curl and set the weight to a lower number, she frowned. Minako's body structure was fairly similar to hers, meaning that extra leg exercises should be the last on her list. Her friend was even lazier than she was.

"You could at least pretend to be pushing yourself."

"The whole point is that we _pretend_ like we're working, right?"

"Yeah, but if you don't raise the bars past fifty, Guy-sensei will set them to quadruple that if he decides to come over here."

Minako frowned. "Good point." And she reached over to reset the weights. "But, ne, Usagi-chan? In all honesty, what do you really think of that Shisui?"

Usagi sighed. "Nothing really. I mean, I just met him today so there's not much for me to go by."

"Yeah, that's true. But you know, I thought of something."

She grimaced as she realized that the exercise was putting quite a strain on her deltoids. "What's that?"

"What if he only _pretended_ to be returning your so-called, 'lost wallet'?"

Usagi stilled and cast the machine aside. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I've read something similar before, in a book. The girl runs into the shop to hide from the rain. Then while she browsed around, she bumps into this guy. She thinks nothing much of it and realizing she's late, runs out the shop, forgetting her briefcase. She runs off home without it, but later on in the day, that same guy comes to her house to return it. He says he read the address on the briefcase but later on in the story, you learn that he purposely takes the thing and follows her carefully so he could find an excuse to talk to her. Do you think Shisui could have done the same thing?"

It made sense to her. She was very overprotective of that wallet; it was very special to her, a gift. It didn't make sense to think she dropped it, but then again, it was also highly presumptuous to think that Shisui could have stolen it as an excuse to talk to her. But he _was_ an Uchiha ninja. There was no denying he had the skills to pull it off.

"If so, Usagi-chan, that is so romantic! For him to go through all that trouble just to talk to you…he must be a shy guy."

"Or a devious one. Seriously, if you met him, you wouldn't be thinking the same thing about him."

"Seriously, just give it a chance!"

"Minako-chan, I don't know if—"

"How are you two ladies fairing today?"

Both Usagi and Minako turned to the third person that had accompanied them to exercise. They watched as he dropped to stretch before starting his usual routine of push-ups and sit-ups. He began counting softly to himself and moving at a fast pace to get them accomplished. The boy was known as Guy's protégé, and he never disappointed a crowd in demonstrating all of Guy's techniques. When it came to taijutsu, he was definitely on a tier his own.

"Lee-san, how are you today? Did you enjoy Guy-sensei's demonstration?"

"I am filled with vigor as usual, Usagi-san. And, yes. It was an excellent routine that we developed ourselves. With all the clans focusing on mostly ninjutsu, we knew that creating a taijutsu-strict strategy would come as an advantage to us. While everyone else focuses on overcoming each other's kekkei genkai, they will be lacking in the basic fighting skills. I plan to enhance my speed as well; the extra footwork will make it hard for even doujutsu users to keep up with me."

"This is all in preparation for the upcoming chuunin exams, right? Good luck to you. Although you won't need it if even Usagi passed them." Minako winked and playfully stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"Hey! For your information, I _earned_ that title. And on top of that I beat a member of the Uchiha Clan. It wasn't like I was up against random Waterfall ninja sixteen, unlike someone else I know."

Before Minako could retort, inspiration hit Rock Lee as he thought about this information. "That is correct. Usagi-san defeated an elite shinobi from the prestigious Uchiha Clan! If it is fine with you, I would like some words of wisdom and motivation. I have not clashed with many doujutsu users aside from Hyuuga Neji, so I would like to have as much information as possible.

Usagi thought carefully for a few seconds. Obvious information wouldn't hurt, information that could be easily analyzed by any shinobi. She had to be careful not to give out too many details; however, of their full capabilities and jutsu. "I don't know much about fighting Hyuuga, but I do know a bit from the Uchiha from what I gathered in the chuunin exams. The most important thing you should know about Uchiha is their lack of stamina. While they are good for hitting hard and fast, if you can avoid or survive the initial barrage, pure stamina alone will wear them out. That's assuming that they try to hit you with everything they have at first. You can also lure and taunt them into attacking you first. Sometimes setting up for failure just to gauge or force them to attack works wonders. Then when you think they're wearing out, it's best to use speed to dodge their attacks and wear their eyes and bodies out over time. Be careful of high-class ones though, they may have just as high speed and reflexes. If that's the case, avoid close-range combat until you're sure you know every single one of their ninjutsu abilities. And if you don't know how to resist genjutsu, it's best to avoid eye contact with them as well. Once that sharingan traps you, it's over."

"Wow, Usagi-chan. You know a lot. Are you sure that Shisui guy didn't give you more than just casual conversation?"

"No. And I simply know from experience."

"Experience, Usagi-san?" Lee's eye sparkled in complete wonder, eager for as much information as Usagi could willingly share.

She blushed. "W-well from the exams, remember? I can learn and analyze things when I put my mind to it!"

"Ah, yes. Of course." He jotted down the notes eagerly. Nodding every now and then to everything she said. "I will make note of this and keep it for further records. Now I really cannot wait until the exams. Guy-sensei was correct in making us wait to take them. We still have much to learn. And there will also be more strong opponents in this upcoming tournament!"

Minako leaned over toward Usagi and whispered. "Kakashi-sensei and his team will be there. It must be the rivalry thing between the two."

Their rivalry was no secret and she had to admit, at times, the two were rather foolish. She remembered watching Guy challenging Kakashi to a racing challenge, another time to a punching bag challenge, and even a bobbing-for-apples challenge. At times, they were fairly trivial and somewhat pointless, at least, to her they were. But Guy always exhibited much excitement in partaking in these challenges; he genuinely enjoyed the competition. Kakashi, on the other hand, retained his aloof demeanor. And when she thought about it, he never really did accept the challenges, mostly sat on the sidelines and kept reading his book. In the race, he walked leisurely down the road reading, arriving at Guy's point three hours after the taijutsu fighter had already arrived. During the punching game, he merely flicked the object with a light fist, owning him a lower-than-average score and he completely refused the last challenge—stating simply that he had a cold and submerging his face in ice water would be hazardous to his health.

She shook her head. "I bet it is."

"Usagi-san, there is something I wanted to speak with you about."

"Oh?"

"I would appreciate your approval in me battling Naruto."

"My approval? Lee-san, you don't need such a thing."

"I know Naruto is almost a brother to you. And you would hate to see him in pain, but the truth is that it is my goal to battle all competitors, regardless of how weak they are."

Usagi frowned. It was just like when she was a genin. Everyone practically pinned her as a failure, someone not likely to succeed as a ninja. But even though Naruto slacked off a lot and caused his fair share of trouble, she was confident in his ability to get far in the exams. Anyone else who believed otherwise would reap the consequences.

"Lee-san, you shouldn't be so quick to judge based on appearances and preconceptions. Naruto is much stronger than he appears. And in anyway, you would be hurting my feelings if you _didn't_ fight him with all your strength. The battlefield is no place for emotions. It's a serious competition between fighters. And if you didn't give it your all, it wouldn't prove your strength or your opponents'. We can only grow when we fight at our peak."

"Yes, that is correct. Thank you, Usagi-san. I will make note of this as well."

"All right everyone that concludes, our lesson for today. Remember, keep up the exercises until next week!"

They all turned to the direction of the voice and noticed several people gathering their bags. After confirming that they did indeed hear his commands, they packed up and, one by one, began to exit the dojo. The three ran over to where Makoto and Guy stood, both covered in dirt and sweat from the previous exertion.

"Makoto-san, I appreciate you allowing me to use your family's dojo for my lessons. I want to thank you again."

"It's my pleasure. Besides my family enjoys having you and your trainees over. It also helps me in my own training. I honestly take an interest in your teachings."

"Suck up," Minako whispered but was harshly jabbed in the stomach and out of hearing range.

"Just keep up the practices and we will resume next week. And if you are truly interested in furthering your training, you can meet with my team any time you desire."

"Thank you. I appreciate that and will keep it in mind."

"We need to move now. Lee, are you ready to go?"

"Yes, Guy-sensei."

The girls bid farewell, watching their backs slowly disappear into the evening.

"Isn't he great?"

"Sure, if you like the whole bushy eyebrow look."

"I find it appealing."

"Yeah? Well I find it—"

"Okay! I think I'll make my exit right now. It's getting dark anyway."

"Oi, Usagi! You haven't finished telling us about Shisui!"

"I told you everything you need to know, Mako-chan."

"No, she's right. You haven't told us how you feel about it. We haven't even planned how the next meeting is going to go."

"Look, he didn't offer his address nor did he ask to see me again…specifically anyway." She looked over at Minako and began to cut her off. "But, if I ever _do_ meet him again, you two will be the first to know. Okay?"

"Sounds good."

"Fine with me, but you should really consider giving it a shot."

"Sure, sure. Anyway, I have to go now. I'm tired, sweaty and hungry. And those three things don't necessarily put me in a good mood. So I'll see you girls another day."

Taking off with her bag in hand, she hastily left the dojo. It had been a fairly eventful day for her between a team assignment and having to run into Shisui. On top of that, the exercising had left her feeling utterly exhausted and sweaty. It was nothing food and a shower couldn't cure and so she dashed off toward her home…

Ready for her usual eventless evening.

* * *

Fugaku was not at all surprised to see that his son was not home to share dinner with them. He predicted that Itachi was now wary of being caught in whatever activities he was engaging in and had retreated to regroup his thoughts. After which he could easily maneuver around the situation. No matter. They would deal with him tomorrow when Shisui could report back on his successful findings.

"Hi, honey. Dinner will be ready soon. Did you want to take a shower now or after eating?"

"After is fine." He sat down at the kitchen table, adjusting his feet to sit comfortably and pulled out a report he could work on in the meantime. But the more he read the scroll, the more his thoughts reverted back to his son. Assuming they did identify what Itachi was doing, what would be the repercussions? He had not given thought to the future and what it would mean. If it was scandalous, what course of action would the elders suggest and if it was illegal, would he be detained for it? There was so much to consider.

"Would you like some bean sprouts in your dish?"

"That's fine." He watched his wife gather some plates and bowls, setting them on the table. It was not until he saw her juggle two dishes at once did he stand to offer assistance. He didn't quite know how the table was properly set but considering they were the only two eating that night, Fugaku supposed it really did not matter.

"How was work today?"

"The usual. Reports mostly and some classified cases."

"I noticed that Itachi accompanied you this morning. Is everything alright? Anbu isn't involved with this next case is it?"

"Nothing to that extent. I simply wanted him to partake in the chuunin exam committee. His knowledge of the ninja in this village would be beneficial to helping train our next batch of Uchiha genin ready to take the exams."

Mikoto wasn't stupid. She raised an eyebrow. "Most of the committee is comprised of jounin level officers. Why would they need Itachi's input?"

"He has extensive knowledge of individuals. We needed more specific information."

"He is not supposed to compromise his work in Anbu. I know for a fact Itachi would not leak out information and play spy for you. So tell me, what really were your motives for bringing him in this morning?"

Fugaku smirked at his wife. He didn't marry her without reason. "Classified."

"Oh, you," she pouted and ignored his gloating smile as she went to reach for her chopsticks. He held up his bowl as she began to fill it up with rice. "You know, I actually had a conversation with your son not too long ago."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I just wanted to talk to him about some problems he has been having."

He gazed at her, anticipation of how the conversation went evident in his imploring eyes. "And, how did that go?"

She finished packing his rice and handed back the bowl as she offered him a mischievous smirk. "Classified."

"Hmm." He couldn't stop the smile that formed. And even though, under normal circumstances, he would simply ignore her teasing and avoid being baited into coaxing her for answers, it could have been highly probable that Mikoto had a conversation with Itachi in regards to his recent behavioral problems. And his son, having more trust in his mother, might have actually opened up more and revealed secrets to her that he would never reveal to anyone else in the household.

"What if I told you that I brought Itachi in for much more than a meeting?"

"I would say that now, I'm interested." She ushered him to continue and wiggled slightly in her seat. How she loved gossip.

"It is no secret that Itachi has been exhibiting strange behavior. This goes beyond the erratic change in diet."

"You mean all those sweets?"

"Yes. But while I do find that odd and an indicator that his lifestyle has warped, I am more concerned about his recent isolation with the clan."

"Isolation? What do you mean by that?"

"Have you not noticed how Itachi has begun spending less and less time with the clan? And his family?"

"Well, he is a busy boy…"

"His routine has not changed since he was thirteen, when he entered Anbu. And yet, he still managed to keep a normal appearance here with his family. But as of late, it's been apparent, not just to me, but the other members of the police force, that our son has been spending more time outside this clan."

"And that's a bad thing? Isn't it healthy for our son to be engaging in activities that do not necessarily pertain to the force? He has a life outside of us, you know?"

"But it's a matter of _what_ _kind_ of life. And if he is as busy as you said, then he wouldn't have time to seek out companionship on his own. Our son isn't that type of person, you know that."

"Yes, I know. Unfortuantely." She muttered that last part. According to the recent talk, Itachi did not have any relationships outside his family, be it friendships or love affairs.

"Well, the reason I brought him into the office today was to get some expert opinions outside the two of us. It's always good to get an outside perspective. I explained to my men of this recent development and several agreed; therefore, we conducted a meeting as a ways to evaluate him."

"An interrogation of sorts, you mean."

"Yes."

"And your findings? And don't give me that 'classified' nonsense. This is not official business; these are private matters. It shouldn't be a problem to discuss them with me."

"Very well. And our findings are still inconclusive though we have determined our suspicions are likely correct."

"And what _are_ your suspicions?"

He took one sip and downed it slowly before he looked up to her again. And without any more delay or suspense, he spoke evenly. "Conspiracy against the clan." After setting the cup down, he watched her face carefully. Surely, her questions would come flooding now. But her eyes did anything but give off a suspicious gaze. Instead, he saw as her hand went to her mouth and her head fell low. Soon enough, the room was filled with his wife's trademark giggles.

"Conspiracy? Against the clan? Honestly, Fugaku! You have such a vivid imagination!"

"It's no jest, Mikoto. This is what the others have concluded as well."

"All based on what evidence now?"

"During the meeting, his body language was suspicious about the time we hinted at these accusations. He looked nervous as well, as if being caught in his acts. When one of my men discussed about the clan's priorities, your son did not deny anything. He did, however, remain fairly silent throughout this ordeal. An obvious sign that he was carefully assessing the situation. He knew we were on to him."

"Oh, please. He was probably just as amused by it all as I am right now. And your son's silence is typical of him. Even when I interrogated him with my suspicions, he was fairly quiet."

"Your suspicions?" He knew then that his wife's line of thinking was nowhere near his. And he wondered what it was that his wife had concluded. "Well I told you about my conversation. How did yours go? What was your brilliant deduction?"

"Well, I thought I had it all figured out, why he had been acting so peculiar. But by the end of the conversation, your son had debunked all my theories. I still say it's true though."

"That _what_ is true?"

"Oh, nothing. It was just that well, given his age, and the fact that he has been secretly leaving this house—especially at night—that your son…well…was engaging in some secret activities."

"Like theft?"

"Nothing criminal. Well, hopefully not anyway." She never gave thought to the fact that he could be engaging in these activities with underage girls. But there was no way her son was that kind of man. "I meant things more, _physical_."

"Fights on the street? Gangs? You think he fell in with the wrong crowd?"

"Oh for crying out loud, Fugaku! It's obvious your sons inherited their dense heads from you!"

"Excuse me?"

"_Fornication_, Fugaku!"

His face fell in disbelief at his wife's statement. And his eyes remained fairly wide until the words and their meaning finally caught on to each other. Had there been anyone else present, he may have simply coughed it off. But his wife's face was determined and the pleading look in her eyes as if to ask for agreement was too cute to him. And so he raised a fist to his mouth and let out a few chuckles.

"Fornication? Honestly, Mikoto? You've been reading too many romance novels. I should stop buying them for you." He gave a few more chuckles into his drink. "I would have loved to hear that conversation," he muttered in amusement.

"Well at least _my_ idea is more believable then yours! Criminal activity? Oh please, this is our son. The boy we raised since birth. We've done nothing but nurture him with love and kindness. He's not going off to join some yakuza."

"Our son is a ninja, meaning he is no longer a child. He knows very well what he's doing. He's grown too smart for his own good and we mustn't underestimate his capabilities. He has learned how to manipulate people easily and has obviously been throwing us all off in different directions in order to avoid being discovered. He may have been giving you mixed signals to send you off on a crazy hunt. But I doubt that any of this behavior is linked to sexual affairs, Mikoto." He laughed at that last part.

"Well _excuse_ _me_ for thinking that my son developed healthy hormones. Besides it's not such a fanciful idea. It would explain the sweets he has been receiving. Or do you think the members of his gang decided to part with a gift as an initiation rite?"

"Very funny. But our son has always had a sweet tooth. And he mentioned he picked them all up from his outings, did he not?"

"Come on! He has never brought this extravagant amount before! You know you've been curious about them too. I heard you grumbling at how much space they took up in the refrigerator."

"Hmm…"

"These were obviously gifts from a lover."

"Or his followers."

"I thought so, too, at first. But he wouldn't keep them if they were. He would simply have me discard them as he has done with previous letters. No, they were obviously from one girl."

"Sweetheart, you need to lay off the fiction for a while. It isn't healthy."

"But conspiring against your son and accusing us of harboring a criminal is?"

"My reasoning has more evidence to it."

"Mine is more biologically possible."

"Will never happen. Sasuke, maybe. Itachi? No."

She frowned. He was making fun of her and she felt a little insulted at it. But he did have a point. And Itachi had thrown away her theories, so he wasn't wrong in what he was saying. "Well luckily for you, there's nothing to worry about; your son will remain dedicated to his duties."

"And what does that mean?"

"After I talked with Itachi, he cleared up everything and denied all my accusations. And now not only is he _not_ practicing that act, but it's safe to assume that your son doesn't have any interest in any type of relationship at all. He will never mate with a woman to gift me with grandchildren and remain alone all is life!" She laid her head on the table, too tired to think anymore. "He may as well become a celibate monk," was the mumbling that came from it.

"Mate? Our son isn't a wild tiger Mikoto. And don't be so melodramatic. Itachi is only eighteen, a fairly young man. He still has plenty of time to develop a healthy relationship. And there are many eligible Uchiha women for him. There's no need to rush him into anything. Besides, with his workload, children are out of the question."

"Well I didn't expect him to give us grandchildren right now! But if he doesn't even show interest in women at an age where his hormones are the most reactive, how will he even show interest at a time when he is no longer capable of _having_ children?"

"Everyone does things at their own pace, Itachi included."

"You and I dated fairly young."

"Itachi is…a unique case. And the more I think about it, the more I realize something."

"What's that?"

"Our son…we hardly know anything about him really. His behaviors and quirks, perhaps. But not much else. And that is the part that has me worried."

"I have to agree with you there." She let out a breath of air. "So what do we do now?"

"Nothing. At least not until the morning. I will have Shisui report back what his findings for the day were. And we can either prolong the investigation or confront our son as a unit with the evidence at hand."

"Shisui? Don't you think it's a little underhanded to use his best friend against him? Won't Itachi be suspicious?"

"Who else do you recommend? Shisui is the only one capable of accomplishing the task. If anyone can pry information out of him, it's his best friend, don't you think?"

"Feels sneaky to me."

"Says the woman who constantly tries to play matchmaker behind her son's back."

"Don't start that with me."

He smiled. "Fair enough. On another note, I have also taken the liberty to postpone work in Anbu by speaking with the Hokage."

"Does he know anything of Itachi?"

"I have decided not to bring him into these affairs. We'll let our clan deal with it first for now."

"But what kind of impact will this have on Itachi?" she paused before realizing the details of the strategy. "Oh I see! If Itachi has no work, that means he will be around here more often for us to keep an eye on him. But that also means he can't escape with the excuse of Anbu work." She smiled and held a hand up to her mouth. "Which means I can catch him in the act if he _does_ decide to sneak out to see his girlfriend." She giggled, an underlying sense of sneakiness hidden behind its silly mask.

He shook his head. "Mikoto…"

Her giggling ceased and suddenly, she was serious again. "So I guess we just wait now, huh?"

"Yes." Waiting was all they had left to do. There was no point in continuing this conversation tonight. Hopefully, tomorrow, Shisui had all the evidence they needed to press for a full-on interrogation with Itachi. But for the moment, patience was all they could muster.

Everything would be revealed in time.

* * *

He couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening. They had promised him.

He knew he should not have stopped and treaded down the path closest to headquarters on the way home. Had he not done that, he would already be in bed or at least out and about with a companion. But alas, he was careless and ended being stopped by an officer who enlisted his help on guard duty. True, it was originally his job for the night. But the captain had promised him the time off. And if he ever got the list of workers who either decided to play hooky or sick that night which led to him compensating for their lack of attendance, he would gladly kick their asses.

He leaned against the poll, lazily looking at the sky. "Geez what do they expect will happen? The sand village will attack us in the middle of the night? These guys are so paranoid."

And they were. The Uchiha clan liked to keep everything a secret. Whether it was the clan's kekkei genkai, or even something as mundane as a class schedule. It, more than likely, had to do with the Hyuuga. Sure there were other clans to consider, but the Hyuuga were in direct competition. Most likely because of the fact that they had a doujutsu as well.

He stretched his muscles and began to pace around. His current post was in a residential district, comprised of houses and apartment complexes. Judging from the simplicity of the designs, he assumed them to be houses mostly for merchants and labor workers. Those kinds of people were usually at the bottom of the middle class and as such, couldn't afford the lavish extravagant luxuries that upperclassmen held. On top of that, most of those people didn't belong to any prestigious clan and as such, were forced to find individual living quarters. But despite how plain they appeared, he admitted that if he ever broke free from the clan to live on his own, it would definitely be in those houses. They were quaint and the neighborhood didn't appear to be too bad.

He checked his watch and began his stroll. It was custom for guards to switch posts at given intervals. It was to ensure that all areas were covered and that one single person wasn't keeping guard in one area all night, possibly becoming lax at their position and missing out on details. It also gave him an opportunity to get some exercise. He didn't like the idea of standing in one place for an extended period of time.

His legs moved one after the other, eyes fully focused on his surroundings. And at that focus, he noticed a peculiar figure disappear right around the corner. He was about to brush it off as a citizen walking home but an indescribable curiosity consumed him at the familiarity.

The figure disappeared to the left; he followed, keeping a good distance. And as he rounded the corner, he noticed a small piece of hair barely escaping his sight. He paused before engaging the pursuit. This was already going past his station. On top of that, it was about time to switch with the other guard. But it wouldn't deter him; he could always say he was simply investigating some suspicious behavior.

Around another corner, a piece of fabric glided through the air and judging from the type of clothing, it was definitely a male he was pursuing. He pressed on and made an abrupt pause when the figure came to a complete stop, looking left and right. Damn. He was on to him. But as he carefully crept forward in the shadows, the person became evidently clear and the full figure of Uchiha Itachi was now standing before him.

Itachi continued to survey the area and it was only a few seconds later that he instantly vanished. A clone. He had taken the bait.

Shisui pondered on this behavior. Perhaps Fugaku was right, maybe his son _was_ involved in some kind of illicit activities. He was careful of being watched and obviously did not want to be followed. Or maybe…

He smirked. That could also be a possibility but there was nothing he could prove as he was following a clone. Giving up for the moment, he retreated back to his post. He was running late for the swap as it was. Itachi would have to answer his questions later.

And unbeknown to him, that same person watched him exit carefully.

Itachi frowned. That had been close, too close. He automatically suspected someone following him and summoned a clone as he rounded the corner. Concealing his real self while observing his friend's intentions.

He smirked. Sneaky bastard. Did he honestly think he could get away with it? With a shake of his head, he made his exit into the cluster of apartments.

He knew what his friend wanted. His father was behind this, there was no doubt in his mind. But sending his best friend to keep tabs on him? It earned a smirk on his face because he had to hand it to his father. It was undeniably sneaky and the most productive way to go about it, much better than sending out his other lackeys. However, be it Shisui or not, he wasn't about to let his father's job be easy. After all, he wasn't a captain in Anbu for nothing.

His body came to an abrupt halt at its destination and he scanned once again, while not looking suspicious to other people. And only after a few minutes of waiting for the crowds to leave and enter their homes, did he make his move to enter the territory. He didn't want to go home just yet; he would just bide his time in his perfect hideout.

It was about time for this insanity to end.

**End Chapter**

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Oh wow, I actually updated in the same year. Maybe the updates will have less and less gaps. My goal WAS for a chappy a month but alas, schoolwork and all. Once again, to everyone who takes the time review or just enjoy and read, keep at it. I enjoy writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it. It's a bit different but I'd like to think that the characters are entertaining. And if you love this story, please pass on the link. Chibi wants these two to dominate the world. (Chibi knows who she is). Thank you to my betas Chibi, kumanuma, and Firewhirl for pretesting my chappies. Your help is very much appreciated.

**Comments/Questions**

I know, I KNOW. A lot of you want Itachi/Usagi to start dating or whatever but this is supposed to be a well-developed story, or I think anyway. Meaning that things like that take time so please bear with me during the process. But as promised, interaction between the two is VERY near. In fact, next chapter.

* * *

**Preview:**

Ch5: Itachi decides to avoid his family and what better way to hide then heading back to the source of the problem, right? Unfortunately, Usagi causes more problems for Itachi then he thought probable.

Ch6: The mystery unravels...

* * *

Thank you all my wonderful readers and reviewers. I appreciate your reviews, comments, concerns and ahem, threats. hahaha They truly are inspiration.

As usual, Review if you like

~_Icehaze_


	5. IV Preoperational

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Sailor Moon, or Hershey's or NYC or Squirtle or the color green...  
**Timeline:** Non Massacre, slighlty alternate  
**Warning:** Language and suggestive situations (Common warning I put in every chapter just in case though it's really not bad. Except the situations in this one...heh.)  
**Author's Notes:** Wow! I got one out like in a month or so! Amazing...:3. I had a lot of fun with this chapter and I hope you enjoy it too. And also, as promised, Itachi and Usagi direct interaction. I think I've teased you guys long enough. So to compensate, this entire chapter is dedicated to them...that means this chapter is ONLY Itachi/Usagi. Aren't I nice? Actually I already planned for this. Took awhile and now I'm glad it is where it is. Enjoy!

* * *

**Preoperational**

* * *

Something was most certainly wrong.

She took a brief pause after closing the door behind her, allowing her eyes to get accustomed to the darkness after a few blinks. And after finally focusing her eyes in the dark, did she begin to assess the things around her.

The glass that she had previously set on the bar from earlier was suspiciously missing. The books she accidentally scattered on the couch were stacked up on the stand. An unfamiliar garment was sprawled over a chair. A foreign scent was wafting in the air, light but undeniably belonging to a male. But most importantly, the entrance of her apartment now had a pair of footwear that was clearly not hers. And when her ears picked up the sounds of rattling and her eyes caught the light illuminating from the kitchen, she let her lips curve up into a sneaky smile as she crept slowly towards it.

She was careful not to let the wood creak as she inched forward slowly while whispering quietly to herself. "The hungry predator spots her prey and treads closer with focus and perfect form. The target continues to graze, unsuspecting of the dangers that surround him. Slowly, she stalks closer, and closer." Her body crouched and she walked quickly and low, to avoid having said person detect her. When she was no more than a few feet away from the kitchen did she hold perfectly still, shrouded by shadows. "She has him in her sights, waiting for the perfect moment. And finally, in one swift movement…she _pounces_…"

Usagi lunged forward in an attempt to catch her target by surprise. But as she moved her hand to strike a vital point, a leg shot up and nearly kicked her had it not been for her quick reflexes to dodge back. Another quick movement had that very same foot knock her balance off by swiping at her ankles in lightning speed. One second she was up and the next, she was flat on her back with a foot pressed firmly on her stomach to pin her down. When she looked up, she noticed the culprit holding a glass of milk in one hand and a cookie in the other.

"Alas, the predator misses her opportunity as the grazing animal carefully slips away into the depths of the forest."

She blushed. "You heard me, huh?"

"Next time you want to sneak up on someone, try keeping your narrations to yourself. Hard of seeing, not hearing." He gulped down more milk before putting the glass down and offering his hand to lift her up.

She accepted his offer and hoisted herself up. "Sneaking more food from my fridge again, I see. And just what do you have to say?"

He threw the last bite of chocolate chip cookie in his mouth before speaking. "You're out of milk."

"Again? You're eating me out of house and home! Don't you have a family that feeds you?"

"You're welcome for all the extra training I give you."

"Good point. Eat up."

Which he did, swallowing the last remnants of his cookie as he watched her enter the hallway and switch on the lights.

"I'm just going to put my bags up. I'll be right back."

He watched her briefly and went back to raiding the fridge. When he first met her, it was a little awkward for him. He had to ask permission for everything, whether it was using the restroom, drinking a glass of water or even simply taking a nap. But as their relationship progressed, the formalities became less evident and he felt comfortable enough to start doing things without asking her. And so, he felt less guilty about taking things from her, namely her food.

"You have _no_ idea how crazy my day has been."

"You'd be surprised."

"I had to finish some tedious assignments earlier. Haruka-sensei thinks that the best way for me to get over my recent tardiness habit is to make me pull weeds. I'm so glad it'll be getting cold soon. Once that weather kicks in, I'll be doing less of that boring yard work. Honestly, I was only fifteen minutes late. It's not like we were going to lose anytime on our trip; we had five days." She headed back into the living room and approached the couch, falling down on it from the exasperation of thinking over her previous yard work.

Itachi picked out a few more cookie bites before bumping the fridge door to close and joining her. "Punctuality is a good practice, something you should pick up. Being late can jeopardize your mission. Besides, if you want to make it to jounin, I suggest you start listening more to your sensei. Jounin are highly elite shinobi who take pride in their work ethics; tardiness is not tolerated among that tier."

She raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. "Then explain how Kakashi-sensei gets away with it."

Itachi merely shrugged. "Bribes the Hokage with porn."

"That's awful! How could you say something like that about our Hokage?"

"Because it's true," he managed to mumble while chewing, taking a final gulp of milk and setting the glass on the small table next to him. "The man is not as innocent as he looks, Usagi."

"But…but…he's _old_! I mean, _really _old! He can't possibly be thinking about those things in his age!"

Itachi gave a smirk.

"Hey! Not every guy has big chested bimbos running through his mind all day long. I would like to give our Hokage _some_ dignity, okay?"

His smirk grew at her reaction, covering her ears at an obvious attempt to shut the information out. "Oh yeah, he loves those kinds of things. You should see the amount of porn he hides behind his desk. The ones he thinks we don't know about."

"I can't hear you," she said in a sing-song voice and attempted to drown out his words and the lewd images with some light singing.

"And those photographic biographies of women he stores in his drawer? I always wondered why he favored female clients over males. Tell me, what do you think he does with those pictures?"

Her antics stopped and she glared at him for continuing this charade. "Okay, that's it! You asked for this!" Grabbing a pillow from one of the armchairs, she proceeded to beat him down with it, enunciating her next words with each hit she landed.

"Take….that…and…that…"

He rolled his eyes at her childishness and lifted one hand to stop the assault of her volley of hits. "No, please, stop," he deadpanned and waited patiently for her to stop, which didn't happen until she was satisfied she had laid justice upon him.

"You're pure evil for even thinking that of our Hokage. He's a noble man with honorable intentions."

"Trust me; his intentions are far from it."

"Hey! It's possible for a man to not think about sex for at least one moment. Or are you telling me that even you have those kinds of thoughts running through your head?"

He remained quiet for several reasons. The concept had entered his mind, and he actually gave thought to her question. It brought about a sensation he had not experienced before. Suddenly his heart was racing, he felt a chill run down his neck and he stiffened as he realized the situation at hand. Sometime during her assault, she had secured some proximity to him. Her body was still holding that pillow and she towered over him, overshadowing his larger form. Her hair fell down on him gracefully, tickling his hands and arms. Her head was fairly close as well, bright blue eyes staring right into his. And as he realized in a few seconds that had she moved any closer she would be straddling his waist, his mind was taken into overload at the sensations. It was too much. Quickly, he lifted his leg up and proceeded to kick her off the couch by kneeing her stomach, watching as she landed rather harshly on the hard wooden floor, accompanied by a loud thud.

"What the hell was _that_ for?" She grabbed at several parts of her body as they ached in pain.

"Sorry, reflexes."

"You shouldn't be so rough on my delicate body."

Her hand went out and brushed the area from her neck down to collar bone in an excruciatingly steady pace. In then trailed under the sleeve to work out the shoulder. Slowly, it moved down her arms, tenderly soothing out the soft skin it encompassed. And he watched—completely mesmerized by the movements she was implementing on her delicate body.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head to break from the reverie. "What?"

"You keep staring at me." She shyly looked away, playing with her hair and stealing peripheral glances. "It's making me nervous."

"Sorry."

"Whatever. Anyway, why are you here? Not that you're not welcome but I usually don't expect to see you midway through the week. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, really."

She smiled. He was never one for discussions. "Well, if you're planning on staying long, I should probably make us something to eat. Something more filling than snacks. If you're okay with reheated food, I have some pretty good leftovers. I made a special stew the other day. My friend got the recipe while on a trip to Iwagakure. It's full of all my favorite meats. It even has a bit of bacon in it. She calls it meat lover's stew."

"What?" It came out a bit sharp and his gaze locked with hers.

Usagi raised an eyebrow. "If you find that revolting then we can just find something else in my fridge."

"No, lovers are fine…"

"_Meat_ lover's…"

"A-Ah."

Usagi didn't say anything but it was obvious something was up. She walked closer to him. "Itachi, you're…."

Itachi regarded her silently as she approached him. He tried not to flinch as she placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

"…not catching a fever are you? You're acting strange. Well, strang_er_ than usual. It's not like you to zone out so much. _I'm_ the daydreamer here remember?"

"No. I'm just…exhausted is all."

She offered a soft smile, sympathizing with him. "I know the feeling. It seems the workload just gets heavier the older we get. I, for one, find it a violation of my rights as a citizen. Shame on them for taking advantage of our youth!" She laughed inwardly of how her 'youth' came out, sounding nostalgically like Lee or Guy. It must have been the exposure to them earlier in that day that brought it out. But the two were extremely passionate about their rigorous routine and utilizing one's youth properly. However, Usagi was sure Guy would frown up the actions of the elders. And on that earlier note, it was true. The council really did take advantage of the younger generation and exploited their good health. But it couldn't be helped. Such was the vicious cycle of a ninja.

"Let's go into the kitchen." She yearned for a distraction from the thoughts. "We can sit in the dining area while we wait for the stove to get hot."

A chair was pulled up to the table, one he could only assume was his and so he sat down and settled into it.

"I bet it isn't any easier for you. I mean you hardly have any time to just unwind. If I were you, I would demand to have my vacation time as soon as possible."

"If only I could. In my line of work, there's not much room to negotiate a vacation. In fact, I don't think they allocate anytime for us to relax at all. On top of that, it's not just my work. The clan would just have me doing substitute chores to compensate for my time off in Anbu."

"That bites. Oh well. It was worth a shot."

"Ah."

Usagi stood and headed to the kitchen, pouring the leftover stew into the hot pot, stirring it lightly and covering up the pot before adjusting the heat and returning to her seat across from Itachi.

"Well…let's suppose you _did_ have a vacation. Where would you go?"

"I don't know. I never really thought about it…"

"Well, think about it."

"I don't—"

"Think about it!" She pouted.

"Okay, okay!" He complied and thought about the possibilities. "Well…it doesn't have to be anything too extraordinary. I guess I would just get more sleep or spend my time at the library catching up on my reading."

Usagi's face was blank and she let out a breath of air. "That's boring…"

"Oh yeah? What would you do?" He asked challengingly.

She stopped swiveling on her bar stool and smiled, excited to share her ideas with him. "Remember my adventure idea? That's what I'd do. And, to start it all off, I would chart my first destination to Iwagakure!"

"What's so special about that place? Going to pick up more recipes for stew?" He smirked.

"No, smart ass. I'm going to visit the hot springs there. They're the best in this continent and even daimyo travel from far just to visit these springs."

"I can't see why. Hot springs are not unusual; you can find them anywhere."

"True but Iwagakure focuses its architectural structure on these springs to make them more aesthetically pleasing. They're a huge tourist attraction. I hear that some hot springs were designed to make them look exotic; a fantasy brought to life."

He just couldn't understand the point of it. If there were hot springs everywhere, including Konohagakure, why travel halfway across the country for them? She mentioned something about aesthetics and recreating fantasies. What was the purpose of such extravagance? "I just don't see the point. You spend your vacation in a place because you find the architecture visually pleasing? It's a waste of time."

"Hey you can't judge me!"

"It's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard."

"And reading textbooks on your vacation when there's not a reason to study _isn't_?"

The blank look on his face indicated that he didn't find it at all crazy. At least studying had a purpose; it could sharpen your mind and skills. You could learn something new and benefit from it. What could be gained from going to see a tourist attraction? "Your idea is strange…"

"Well yours is boring! I mean, come on! Who studies on their day off?"

"If you would actually follow my example and take the time to study during your leisure time, then you might actually advance at a more rapid pace than you are even now."

She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I'm hearing you say this. Come on, Itachi! Don't you ever think about anything else? Isn't there more to life that you want to accomplish? Life isn't all about training, getting stronger or being the best."

"_My_ life is…" he sighed.

At first she thought that maybe he was tired of arguing with her but upon closer inspection, Usagi saw that faraway look in his eyes. He was contemplating something and she had a hunch about what it was. "I understand about your responsibilities and duties as a shinobi. And I know you carry a heavy burden as the future patriarch of your clan, but you should unwind every once in a while; escape from that life, even if just for a little bit. There's no one in this world that should live with that much stress."

Itachi thought about her words and how much _she_ was his escape from that life. A life outside of the Uchiha clan.

"I've always dreamed about leaving this place and going out to see the world. There's so much out there I haven't seen yet. Seas and lakes I haven't swam in yet, fields of flowers I haven't picked yet, mountains I haven't climbed and of course the food I haven't eaten. We can't forget that." She stuck her tongue out playfully and earned a raised eyebrow from him. She then settled down and leaned on her elbows, allowing images of places she had never seen to take control of her imagination. "I can only imagine it from the books I read and the traders or merchants that come by. Adventures, mystery, romance. Luckily for me that someday will be coming up shortly."

"You're…leaving here?" The news was a brief shock to him, one he easily recovered from but lingered on the notion nonetheless.

"That's right! I got it all set up with the council, paperwork and everything. About eight months or so from now, I'll be walking out these gates and living out my dreams of exploring. It's going to be so much fun, Itachi! I can hardly wait." She wiggled in her seat, the excitement being too much for her to control.

"You seem genuinely excited."

"Of course, it's not every day a person gets to live out his or her dreams. It's pretty fortunate for me to be able to do it at such a young age, don't you think?"

"What is it you yearn for…in these adventures, I mean?"

"I guess, beyond the fantasies and adventures, I feel like I will get a connection from my parents by doing so. Live out my dad's past. And also, I can keep a log like my dad did; make my own mark in life. Plus there's something in Iwagakure besides the hot springs that I would very much like to visit."

"And what would that be? Perhaps some type of restaurant or circus?" He meant to tease but when she didn't laugh back, he let his smile disappear, wondering what could make her so silent.

"My mother's grave."

"Oh." He wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "I suppose that is significant."

"You know, I haven't gone to see her grave in about three years. The last time I was lucky Haruka-sensei allowed us time to drift off from our mission. Otherwise I probably would have never seen it at all. It was the first and last time considering I wasn't allowed to leave the village before I became genin. Then things got busy when I was a chuunin and now…well you get the idea." Her eyes fell at the thought. "I must seem like a horrible daughter. Not being able to pay respects to my mother properly."

"I'm sure she wouldn't think that of you. She would want you to live your own life out."

"Yeah, I know. Plus, she was a businesswoman. I'm sure I would have gotten a lecture of how I should allocate more time to working hard and earning money rather than chasing my silly dreams. In some ways, from what I do know of them, I can't help but think they were two different types of people. It's funny how people like that can be brought closer together. I guess opposites attract, huh?"

"Or maybe they just complemented each other."

She smiled. "Yes, I think so."

"Well, you'll be paying your respects to her soon enough. How long do you plan on being in Iwagakure?"

"Oh, hmm…" she thought carefully, trying to remember the terms to her contract with Konoha. When the answer came to her she snapped her fingers in resolution. "Oh yeah. About three months!"

He coughed. "Three _months_?"

"Yeah, yeah! Give or take a couple weeks. It just depends on how long it will take me to get there and back. Some discrepancy in time was allotted to me in the paperwork, I think. Oh well, if I do go over, I can just sweet talk the Hokage. He likes me after all."

"I don't understand. Three months? What do you hope to accomplish moving for only that amount of time?"

"Moving? Who said anything about moving?"

His brows furrowed. "You just did."

"No, I didn't. I said I was leaving here. It's my vacation time, Itachi. I haven't redeemed any of it for the last few years. The council suggested I should do so before I take my jounin trials because in the first couple of years as jounin, I won't have any scheduled time off. My life will become sporadic and my workload increased.

"Oh."

She laughed. "I don't think I could ever leave here permanently. I genuinely do love the village. I would miss everyone too much. When I said I wanted to leave, I just mean that, given the chance on a _vacation_, I would spend it traveling around. See something outside these gates that doesn't pertain to a mission."

"Ah..."

"But I'm not leaving for good. You would miss me too much."

She winked at him and he did nothing to respond to it. Because in all honesty, he probably would have. Something he would never tell her out loud.

At that moment, the sound of boiling food became more obvious to them both and Usagi went over to turn the heat down, grabbing a few bowls in the process.

"I'm so excited for my trip. It's going to be great. The hotels, the scenery, the food…the guys."

He saw her blush at that last part and rolled his eyes. The sad mood was effectively killed and he grimaced at another thought. Despite how great a friend she was and how it resembled his time with Shisui, he was constantly reminded that she did indeed belong to the opposite gender department. Her antics were at times, a bit childish to him—resembling something he would see in his little club.

"Here's your bowl." She handed his food over as well as his utensils, watching as he paid no mind to her and began eating. In some ways it was rude but it also proved to Usagi how comfortable he was with her. If it had been any other situation, she was sure he would have patiently waited—formalities intact.

"I keep thinking I should camp out a bit, you know? Just to experience nature and how my father may have sustained himself—fishing, hunting, foraging."

His lips curved up. "This coming from the girl whose definition of fishing is going into the market tanks and reeling up a salmon with a shoe string and a piece of cheese for bait." He took another slurp of the stew; the taste was actually superb.

"Hey don't judge me! Besides, you thought it was funny too!" She smiled at the fond memory. "We were lucky that was outside of Konoha. Can you imagine the merchant telling your parents what you were doing?"

"What _you_ were doing."

"But you were an accomplice, my partner in crime! You know what they say: guilty by asphyxiation."

"_Association_."

She giggled. "Oh right. I should probably stop hanging around Minako; her quirks are starting to blend in with mine. In anyway, I think I'll be fine on my trip. I'm not exactly the best trap expert or anything but I can pull a few fish out of the streams. Or if it all fails, I can always rely on the restaurants I charted."

"I figured as much."

"Shut up. At least I was willing to make the effort."

"You should brush up on some survival skills. Eating out every day will get expensive."

She scoffed at the concept. "Not if I can find a cute guy to pay the meal for me."

She took another bite from her food and moaned in delight; Itachi wasn't sure if it was a result of the meal's taste or her girlish fantasies.

"You'd be surprised how easy it is to get a guy to pay for your meal…and a drink."

He shook his head disapprovingly. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking?"

"I didn't mean _those_ kinds of drinks. In anyway, I couldn't help it that one time. It was all part of the mission." She also flushed at the thought of that particular mission. Needless to say, her teammates got to see a new side of her that one night, a more affectionate and flirtatious Usagi. Alcohol never sat well with her, it was hard to get past just a few shots. She couldn't remember the details but she distinctly recalled the smirks everyone gave her the following day she endured her hangover, and the wonderful storytelling skills of her sensei. She had yet to live it down honestly.

"Right. Well I guess it all depends on the guy you're trying to seduce. They must not be too bright to fall for _your_ allure, or maybe they just have low standards." He bit back a smile, waiting for her to throw a tantrum.

"Hey, I resent that remark! I will have you know that I am perfectly capable of attracting a guy. I just…don't really feel like it all the time. That's all."

"Sure."

"I can too!"

"You don't see me falling for your charms do you?"

"Well that's because you're not sexually attracted to me…or _anything_ for that matter."

"Hmm," he pulled a little on his collar, uncomfortable with the conversation. If she only knew the thoughts that were lingering on his mind earlier.

"Well…ah!"

"What?" He assessed her carefully, afraid that maybe she did catch on to his line of thoughts, a huge slip up on his part.

"As a matter of fact," she held her chin up high, "today I was recently courted by a guy, with no provocation on my part whatsoever. So I must be doing something right."

Itachi slowed his chewing and looked her in the eye. He knew very well who she was referring to.

"Actually, that leads me to something I've been meaning to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

"Well, you're familiar with a guy named Uchiha Shisui right?"

He reached over to the glass of water she set by him earlier and took a drink, allowing the food to easily slide down his throat. "Ah."

"Okay, I thought so. That lady mentioned that you two go way back so I figured you two were good friends."

He immediately stilled his hand. "You met with someone from the clan."

"Don't freak out on me. I didn't mean to. It just sort of happened after I met up with that Shisui guy."

"Usagi, I told you—"

"I know you did. But it honestly _wasn't_ my fault. I was actually doing fine and minding my own business before this whole ordeal started."

"What ordeal?"

"Okay, here's how it went. I was at the market minding my own business, window shopping and having a great time when suddenly…I sensed someone."

Itachi gulped down his food quickly.

"I tried to brush it off as simple paranoia, but I noticed that this particular chakra was following me around. Everywhere I went, it followed. Up and down the streets, through the alleyways. Finally, I decided to hide in a shop but I couldn't find _any_ person trailing me. The feeling eventually disappeared after I bought a manga in the newspaper stand and left. But then, that's when that Shisui guy suddenly appeared and brought me my 'lost' wallet. If you ask me, it all seemed staged in an attempt to trap me in some sort of scam…" She gazed at his somewhat nervous appearance. "Or am I just reading too much into this?"

"No…I mean. It's quite possible that your suspicions have merit." It was also quite possible that Usagi was referring to _his_ chakra and not Shisui's. But it was best to just go along with her presumptions. He was also curious as to what truly transpired between his two friends.

"Well, the things is…that I never lose that wallet. It's the kitten wallet, the one you gave me for my birthday? It always stays with me. And then after talking about it with some of my friends, I got the idea of him actually stealing the wallet to try to fake a heroic act in order to speak to me. And when we did start talking, it just…I don't know. He asked me some questions and then he got me a little nervous."

"What kind of questions did he ask you?" a hint of suspicion in his voice alerted her.

"Nothing personal. Just things about hobbies and stuff but when we first talked he kept asking me if I ever met another Uchiha and why I was nervous around him and stuff like that. I didn't answer any questions directly and covered my tracks well so I'm not too worried but I still just find it suspicious."

"You mentioned something about talking to another Uchiha."

"Oh yeah. He took me to some senbei shop run by a couple of elderly looking people."

"Ah."

"You know them too, right?"

"Uruchi baa-san and Teyaki jii-san. They run the shop. I've known them all my life."

"Yeah, they were nice. I liked them." She giggled when she recalled how nervous she was at them constantly bringing up Itachi. "Actually, the entire time we were there, they mostly talked about you." Looking over at him, she knew she saw a tiny hint of sweat trickle down. "Again, nothing too personal. Just mentioning what a cute baby you are." She reached over and pinched his cheeks but was quickly pushed away.

"Stop that."

"Aww, Itachi was a cute little baby in diapers," she teased in a baby dialogue similar to that of which mothers use to play with their children. He was obviously not impressed by the condescending tone. "I was just teasing you."

"Well don't. And did those people mention anything else?"

"Nothing too important. They talked about how cute you were, how you used your boyish charms to con innocent women into doing your bidding…"

"I did no such thing."

"Well Uruchi-san seems to think so. And like you said, she's known you all your life. Obviously, she would know of your days as a child."

"Enough, what else did you discuss?"

"Hmm. Actually that's about it. A story of how you ate senbei in the morning before going to the academy, that it's a tradition. Something about your looks being rebellious…"

"Anything _other_ than me?"

"No. That's all. Then she left us alone."

"And Shisui? What did he talk to you about?"

"Just casual talk and a little flirting. Nothing too serious, honestly. I told him about my adventure idea, how my parents died and then he just asked what kinds of books I liked to read. I shared with him some of my passions and ideas and he really just sat there and listened to me, offering occasional commentary. Say, now that I think about it, in retrospect, he never really indulged in _his_ hobbies or ambitions. In fact, I don't think I learned much about him at all."

"Never changes," Itachi mumbled. "The idiot."

"Say, since you're really good friends. Maybe you wouldn't mind telling me something about him?"

"About _him_? Like what?" He watched her face flush and her fingers began to fidget with her hair, twirling it around her finger until it became very wound. And when she wouldn't lock her gaze with his, he figured she was being shy about the subject.

"I just want to know what kind of guy he is."

There were many things that could have constituted, such as being a hard worker, a motivated person, if he was good with people, charitable, dependable, charismatic, and a string of other adjectives. But if Usagi was interested in anything beyond friendship, it was important to know what kind of man he was right from the start.

"He's a sex fiend."

"I figured as much."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You don't look that surprised. Or maybe it just doesn't intimidate you? Maybe dangerous men are your thing?"

"Of course it bothers me; it's just that I kind of already assumed he was. I mean, he didn't exactly hide it very well. And what do you mean 'dangerous men'?"

"I don't know." He wasn't quite sure what his mother meant either. Maybe someone with a dangerous allure, or someone who actually engaged in dangerous activity. And then, to what extent of danger was his mother referring to when she said that women go through that phase? "I guess, someone who's trying to hurt you."

"_Hurt_ me? Hurt me _how_?"

"I don't know. Kill you?"

"_Kill_ me?"

"I guess…"

"Why would I like someone that's trying to _kill_ me? I mean, I've heard of fetishes but that one takes the cake. I'm not into that whole sadist/masochist thing." She whispered that last part as if someone other than Itachi could hear her. "Why would you even suggest such a thing?"

"Calm down. It was just something I overheard from…some woman. She said women go through a dangerous men phase."

"Oh! That's different. It doesn't mean we like guys that could hurt us."

"It doesn't?"

"Well actually it does. But not hurt _hurt."_

"I don't understand."

"Well, guys that look like they can be dangerous but aren't…well actually most of them are. They don't hurt us physically…but they could if they wanted to. But they usually don't! They usually hurt us emotionally. Wait, that sounds worse to me." She put a hand on her chin and honestly pondered over the whole concept. "Actually, I don't quite understand myself either." She laughed as his face showed he had no clue what her point was to that theory.

"Women are strange."

"I suppose we are. But anyway back to the conversation."

"Yes?"

"About that Shisui guy, I mean, aside from all that sexual deviant stuff, he really seemed like a sweet guy. I'm sure he means well."

He thought about it overall. Yes, Shisui was a fairly well-intentioned man. He was the best friend anyone could ask for, aside from a few small quirks. There wasn't a moment he could recall where one of his favors wasn't granted by his best friend or when he needed help that it was turned down for any reason. And most importantly he was a good shinobi. Definitely someone you could trust in the battlefield and with the village as a whole.

"Ah."

Itachi sat back in his chair to stretch a little. He lifted his arms first then gave his legs a little more movement so as not to fall asleep. He began to rotate his arms in a slow motion. Then he moved his head from side to side. As he did so, a few muscles located in his shoulder began to invoke a twinge of pain and so he subconsciously reached over to rub it.

"Do your shoulders hurt? If you want, I can give you a quick massage."

He said nothing and continued to rub at his shoulders. It wasn't in his nature to ask for help. But she ignored this and stood up. He continued his movements, just glancing over in her direction and watched as she slowly walked over to where he was sitting. And when she was directly behind where he was at, he looked up at her questioningly.

Usagi was already used to his lack of response. Over the course of the few years they knew each other, she had begun to decipher his body language or answer his questions for him, even if they were actions or words in which he didn't quite agree. Most of the time she did as she liked and as with every other time, she decided to take the initiative herself once again.

She placed two hands on his shoulders, signaling for him to stop his ministrations to himself. He did eventually and resigned to letting her do as she pleased. It always worked out to her favor, any small feuds; this one would be no different. So he did not protest when she began to work on him. With skillful hands, she began to soothe the area first and watched as he gradually relaxed to her touch, shoulders lowering in surrender to the feeling. With her left hand, she began to knead in a circular motion, working out the knots in his muscles. His body sagged a little more at this, obviously becoming used to her working it all out. With her right hand, she smoothed out the tough area, planning her patterns carefully and after the first two minutes of tension, he finally, completely let her go to work.

"See. Feels good right?"

"Mmm," he closed his eyes slightly.

She chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

He allowed her to work her way across his neck, shoulders and back, relishing in her craftsmanship. It really did feel good; he could feel the tension slowly easing away. In fact, if she had not done this, he probably would not have noticed how tense he actually _was_. But as her hands glided down his body, he felt all that disappear more and more with each part of him she touched and inwardly sighed at the relaxation it invoked.

"I learned how to do this from my friend. She works at the hospital and has to deal with a lot of patients going through rehabilitation. It helps get them to relax and soothes their muscles. Plus it just feels good. It's one of the most relaxing things there is…well that and a nice warm bath. Speaking of which, I'll need to take a shower very soon. I really need one considering all that yard work and training at the dojo I did earlier. Are you planning to stick around longer? If you don't mind, can you help me out with a small project while I shower? I need someone to help me fix my clock up; I don't think I know how to get it going. It's an older model, much older than me probably. So I could use the help. And if you get done early, I also have some new books and the newspaper to pass up the time."

"Hmm? Sure." He only half listened, fully content with the motion of her hands as they continued to work. He had already finished _his_ shower but it did little to relax him. On the way to Usagi's, he was still thinking much of his family and the predicaments he was placed in all day. And unfortunately, he didn't have much work tomorrow, meaning he would have to find some other form of distraction to avoid being stuck in the house all day. Otherwise, he would be forced to go to work at headquarters or even worse, put up with more sex talk from his mother.

And at that last thought, quite suddenly, his body went rigid.

"Don't get so tense, you'll ruin all my hard work."

He glanced up at her, eyes carefully assessing her motives. She gave one more good rub on him before giving up on the activity altogether.

"There, see? All better. I bet you feel a lot more relaxed now."

He gulped, hesitating on answering the question, his mother's words echoing in his mind.

_It starts out simple, an offer for a massage if she noticed you're tired or aching._

"Well when you get the chance to fix the clock, can you put it up there?" She pointed to an empty spot on the wall above the main hallway.

_First, there's the old repair job…_

"I'm going to go take a shower now. You can keep eating and reading some of that material I mentioned to you if you want. I won't take too long…promise."

_Then she'll ask if you would like to get situated…while she showers…_

His heart pumped faster as he realized he was probably already well ensnared by her trap. He was so lost in her distractions he hadn't realized he was playing so well into her little plan already. Had he not been so nervous suddenly, he probably would have stopped to admire and comment on her remarkable brilliance and deviously clever diversions. But this was no time for such a thing.

"_No_!"

Usagi stopped abruptly and turned around slowly, completely baffled by his sudden outburst.

Itachi cleared his throat at her questioning look. "I mean, no. I have to get going."

"Oh, you're not staying longer?"

"No, I should probably head back home soon. It's getting late anyway."

The sudden vibrant aura changed and he realized she was more than likely upset at his desire to leave.

"It's okay. And don't worry about the clock. I'll just ask one of my friends later when they come."

He stood up and walked away to leave. But after just three steps he looked back at her to see her putting away dishes. She kept her head low and her eyes carried a sad look. Her movements were also fairly slow and he began to wonder if this was also a ploy. Despite his mental warnings to just keep on walking and ignore it all, he couldn't seem to shake her sadness away. And he found himself falling even further for her traps, because he just couldn't say no to her.

"I'll stay…to fix your clock," he quickly amended.

Her brilliant smile adorned her face and he felt a peculiar feeling at seeing it.

"Thanks. You don't have to stay long if you don't want to. If you need to leave after you put it up that's fine. Just lock the door on your way out."

"Okay," he replied quietly. This part wasn't on his mother's caution list, but maybe it was some sort of reverse psychology. Yes, pretend that you're not interested in order to get more attention—the old cat psychology.

"Thanks again. Hope you get to feeling better. Make sure you try and take it easy, okay?" She left without waiting for him to reply since he hardly ever did.

Itachi watched her disappear into her room and then turned his attention to the clock on the table stand. He picked it up and inspected it carefully. He pulled a small senbon from his side pouch and used it to unscrew it open in order to assess the mechanics.

His sharingan activated; it was imperative for him to see through the dark parts of the clock's interior design as well as analyze every piece of it. It didn't take long for him to find the key components and after a few careful adjustments, he heard the clock begin to wind up again. Turning it around, he saw that sure enough, the hands were moving. With delicate procedures, he began to screw the clock shut again and hoisted it up to where Usagi pointed earlier. The clock was centered perfectly up high and he gave a small noise to indicate a job well done. After putting away his supplies, he began to head over to the door but stopped once again as the sounds of water running made it to his ears.

She must have begun showering, so he concluded. His eyes closed momentarily and pondered about it but quickly reprimanded himself from the idea, the mental images of water running down her neck quickly shaken away. No. He had to leave soon, before his train of thought returned. But as he made it to the door once again, he stopped. If he left now, there was nowhere for him to go besides home. Also, Shisui had been following him earlier and if he left now, there was no stopping the man from pursuing him if he ventured somewhere outside the household. In fact, there was no telling if the man was out patrolling right now, waiting for him to make a reappearance. In which case, it would be difficult to explain why he was hiding in a woman's apartment. No, maybe staying put was the best.

But when the sounds of light humming echoed from the bathroom, those damn images returned. He muttered more curses before sliding his hand through his hair in exasperation. His mother... It was her fault he was in this predicament in the first place.

Damn her to hell.

With determination, he glanced around the apartment. Surely, there was something he could do to take his mind off of everything. And that was when he spotted some books on the counter. He walked over and fumbled through the pile. It was mostly manga, a few textbooks on anatomy, chakra control and some on the effects of climate changes on the body. After a few seconds of debating, he chose the latter of the books and sat down on the dining table chair from earlier.

The first few pages were introductory, explaining the geographical layout of the country and its climatic changes. It eventually transitioned into several different climate areas and how people cope with survival. But after a few more pages he closed the book shut, wondering why she would pick up such a book, it was uncharacteristically of her. And it was definitely out of her usual realm of interest. He opened up the next book to a random point and immediately dropped it; a figure of the female anatomy was not exactly going to help the situation at all.

He sighed and stood up, beginning to pace sharply around the living room, figuring out what else he could do. After another quick survey he spotted the dirty dishes from earlier in the sink. And with a new task in mind, he went over and began washing them. He grabbed a sponge and poured the liquid right on it. The bowls went first, receiving a slow and thorough scrubbing before he moved on to the silverware.

Suddenly, he heard the water go off. She was done, and he could hear some rattling of sorts; mostly likely, she was getting dressed. He began scrubbing harder, moving from dish to dish at a more rapid pace and then the faucet water went on immediately, a form of distraction. He rinsed the dishes off just as quickly as he scrubbed them before placing them on a rack to dry.

After wiping himself dry with a towel, he let out a breath and began to make his move out the kitchen. "This time for sure," he mumbled, with new resolution to leave. He would just pull the old clone trick on Shisui. Yes, that was an easy and effective enough solution to execute. It could distract Shisui and he could avoid suspicion. Then he wouldn't have to stay here and suffer. His feet quickly followed up a stern pace to stalk out, but as soon as he hit the hallway, he nearly collided with another figure.

"Watch it."

"Sorry, I thought you already left so I came to check on the lock."

He froze, taking only a momentary glance at her as she hugged a white cotton towel around her small lithe body, leaving her legs, neck and arms completely exposed for his scrutiny. Her hair had a different hue to it because of the water. It was a deeper gold at the moment, and it clung to her form tightly. There were also small amounts of water from it trickling down her entire body, from her hair down to her legs and feet, until they fell into a small pool on the wooden floor. She looked at him, confusion evident. His body immediately swished to the side to cover his blush and pay her some amount of respect at her highly indecent state.

"I decided to stay a little while after all."

"Oh, okay. That's great!"

She smiled and continued to stare at him. He was not budging from where he was, completely avoiding her direction and keeping close to the wall in the hallway. She could have ignored all that, but when he didn't respond to her question, she frowned.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Do you want to do it or not?"

"_What_?" Her current lack of clothing was completely ignored as he shot her an accusing yet vulnerable look.

"Come on."

"No." His back softly collided with the wall.

"Itachi, I need you to _move_!"

"What?"

"I have to go change!"

"Oh." He immediately obeyed her wishes, backed away and proceeded to let her go through, embarrassed for being so awkward and for the loss of his usual elegance and composure.

"I won't be too long."

He noticed a flush on her face as well as she rushed back into her room; perhaps he should have simply left. A few strings of mental curses ensued at his stupidity and he was back to the dining room's chair, holding his head with his hands in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"I just need to calm down. I'm overthinking this." There was nothing going on; he recited the words over and over in his head as a mantra. Eventually his thinking would come to a calm halt and he could put the incidents behind him in order to continue functioning properly. His hand reached for the glass of water she handed to him earlier from their dinner. One gulp had his heart back to a normal pace; the second had his nerves working in his favor again. By the time he swallowed the third one down, he felt a little better. A few more minutes later, and he was back to his normal state, as normal as he could be anyway. He reached over for one more sip of water.

"Oh Itachi, can you come in here for a minute?"

He coughed into the water, recovering from a light dose of choking. "_Why_?"

"I want to show you something!"

Maybe he wasn't overthinking it. This had to be another trap. She was going back and forth playing this game. Keeping him on and off guard in sporadic patterns. Of that he was sure of now. It was all to throw him into confusion and make him more susceptible to her advances. If he went in there now, it was all over for him. His mother had warned him of this as well. That if she called him in the room, it was mostly likely the path to his downfall. There would be no turning back. "Of all the shinobi in Konoha, why me?" he whispered into nothingness.

"What are you waiting for? Come on!"

He walked and stopped several times, nearly faltering once. His mind was disputing over the fact of whether or not to adhere to her calls. It all seemed like a well-orchestrated plan if he fell into it this far. And despite his mind urging him to leave, his traitorous legs continued down the path. He had to prepare himself for whatever he might encounter. Was she dressed for the occasion, perhaps already prepared to play the part of the temptress in some exotic type of lacy lingerie? Or maybe she was going for a different angle? Cute and innocent with that pink nightgown she owned and some light make-up. Yes, that seemed to be more of her style. Well she was in for a huge disappointment. He had a strong will; he would not be seduced by her.

His hands reached out and pushed the door open. After a deep breath, he walked right in bravely. And upon taking in his surroundings, he blinked once then twice, unsure of what to make of everything before him.

"What's taking you so long? Get in here!" She continued to towel dry her hair while waiting for him to enter the room and shut the door, her patience wavering at his glacial pace.

Usagi was wearing an old t-shirt and some denim shorts, nothing at all of what he expected of her. Yet, it somehow seemed to do the trick as his eyes were immediately drawn to her. And so he, unknowingly, looked over to Usagi's form and for the first time ever, gave her body a thorough inspection.

She finished the last part of her hair and tossed the towel away into the corner of the room. When she turned around, she caught his staring. His look confused her so glanced down at her t-shirt. A blush grew and she crossed her arms across her chest in an attempt to shield her shirt from his gaze. "I'll have you know this manga character was _very_ popular when I bought this shirt!" She huffed and refused to look at him.

Itachi was relieved she misunderstood the situation. "I didn't say anything."

"Whatever. Why don't you just sit down while I finish getting ready?"

He looked around the room and settled for the bed, falling on it easily and leaning back on his hands while watching as she began the process of brushing her fairly dry hair. It took approximately thirty two strokes until she was satisfied. She then moved around to different areas of her room. She headed to the cupboard and applied some lotion onto her body, elegantly and slowly. She then walked over to another dresser, grabbing some oil and powder to rub on her legs, primarily her knees and ankles. Finally she went to retrieve some potpourri, something he wasn't very comfortable with seeing and instantly wanted to know what she planned to do with it. When she began to throw some around certain areas in the room, he concluded—or rather hoped—it _was_ purely for aesthetic reasons.

"There, now it should smell a little better." She turned around, that feeling of being watched becoming evident with every task she performed from her nightly ritual.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Okay, well sorry for the wait. Let me just get a few more things done."

She ignored him after that, finishing up some more tasks that, luckily for him, had nothing to do with parts of her body. After she was gone for a couple more minutes, he began to relax a little more. All that, however, changed when she returned and smiled at him. He held her gaze firmly, as if he was engaging in another bout of intimidation. But as she walked over closer to him, he conceded the staring contest and allowed her to claim victory. His pulse picked up gradually and his breathing became slightly irregular, had she been more attentive in nature she would have been able to pick it up easily. But of course, she was as clueless as ever, or so she feigned. She sauntered closer, it felt excruciatingly slow to him, an agonizing feeling that only helped to heighten his anxiety. But none of that compared to what happened soon after. She finally reached him and gave another shy smile while looking down, probably trying to avoid his gaze. After pulling her hair back and out of the way by tossing it over her shoulder, she fell slowly and carefully to her knees, pulling herself uncomfortably closer to him.

Itachi's body shot up from his position on the bed in lightning speed, backing up sharply and making the bed skid backwards along with him, scraping the wooden floor. "What are you doing?"

"Getting my kotatsu from under the bed," she responded as if the answer should have been obvious to him.

Sure enough, he saw the object when he looked down. Right beside his feet was a small piece of wooden furniture. Usagi pulled it out completely from under the bed and worked out the kinks to completely unfold it. The covers slid out from what they were tucked away in and soon enough, a small table was put out right in front of him.

"Oh."

"There is something seriously wrong with you today. Are you _sure_ you're not catching a fever?"

"Perhaps…" he swallowed nervously. "…I am."

"Oh boy. Wait here, and sit down. I'll go bring you some medicine."

"Get a grip." He told himself, upset at how badly he misconstrued the previous action.

He sat down by the kotatsu as he normally would at his home but then realized that this _wasn't_ his home. His mother was usually stern about sitting properly at the table, which meant scrunched on the knees. But his mom _wasn't_ here now; and being with Usagi made him, surprisingly, forego his usual formalities. She also wasn't one to overly judge on etiquette seeing as she barely had any herself. So he stretched his feet in different directions. It was a refreshing feeling. And he had to admit, the heat from the kotatsu felt nice. Especially when considering the cool weather.

She returned a few minutes later, two pills and a glass of water in hand. "Two of these should be fine. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Thanks." He did as she instructed and put the pills in his mouth, swallowing and flinching from the horrible taste. Well, how often was medicine enticing? But it was probably the best thing to do, pretend he was sick and play the patient. They could even help in calming his nerves, something he was incapable of doing at the moment.

"I need to show you something."

He watched as she reached over to a nightstand. Her fingers began to rummage through the pile of objects. Most of them, he noted, consisted of small pieces of fabric and he felt more nervous as to what exactly she wanted to show him.

"Ah ha!" He heard her say and the sound of something ruffling which most definitely wasn't fabric calmed him down.

"What's this?" He grabbed the paper when she handed it over and inspected it carefully.

"I grabbed it when I was on a mission with my team. See? It's just like I said!"

It was a brochure and he skimmed it over, realizing that it was an impressive feat. The architecture really was admirable. "Hmm," was all he said as he handed the flyer back, thankful that was all it was she wanted to show him.

"Impressive, huh? These are the hot springs I was talking to you about; they double as a hotel too so it's definitely going to be a stop I make in my vacation. "

The flyer showed a series of themes designed for each room which had a hot spring connected to it, all of them exotic as she put it herself. One was designed to look like an dense jungle, several tropical plants adorned the watery paths that led straight to the main hot springs. The next one was designed to recreate the desert. Vast sand dunes paved the way and old materials constructed the paths to give it an ancient look. The final one in the brochure was more modern, small streams of water cascading down along the path, illuminated by several lights. Frivolity aside, they were designed fairly well. It must have been a huge tourist attraction and a successful business. But they didn't look like the typical type of hotel you would normally visit. It had a different feel to it; something only couples would go see. He smirked at the thought.

"There are a lot of couples in this brochure."

She snatched the paper away with an angry flush to her face. "So? That doesn't mean it's only for couples!"

"It might look awkward for you on your own. How would it feel to be surrounded by so many couples while you remain single?"

She huffed. "Well, maybe I'll find someone there to accompany me!" She crossed her arms in a dignified manner, insulted. And when his smirk grew, she became even more flushed with anger. "Maybe I'll ask that Shisui guy to come see the scenery with me."

"The only scenery you'll be viewing with that guy is the bedroom ceiling."

She choked a laugh. "Itachi!"

"I'm serious."

"You two have such a _well_-_developed_ friendship." It was laced with sarcasm, something he had grown accustomed to from her.

"I'm just being honest. Watch out for that guy. He's a good friend…but as a guy, well you get the idea."

"Don't worry. I'll be _fine_." Usagi smiled only briefly, and suddenly she seemed a completely different person—deadly serious. She had postponed the inevitable question long enough. "Hey, Itachi, I was going to bring this up eventually but…why _are_ you here anyway? Not that I mind your company or that you can't just drop in to say hello, but I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong with you. So what's up?"

He really didn't want to bring her into the mess from earlier. It would only make her worry as well. And she didn't need that right now. He also didn't want to bring about his suspicions of _her_, at least not until he was completely sure of her intentions. So far, it was a string of false alarms.

"Is it your family?"

Not wanting to answer, he kept staring at the empty table.

"Look, it's not my place to tell you how to resolve your issues but if it is your family, then you should do something about it. I know that sometimes they can be weird, judgmental, cause you grief and do things to embarrass you but at least you know that when it really comes down to it, they'll be there for you. I guess what I'm trying to say is that at least you _have _a family to worry about."

He knew what she really meant and a feeling of sorrow for her suddenly consumed him. She really didn't have a family anymore and perhaps it seemed like he was rubbing it in her face, talking about _his_ family. "It really is nothing. Stress from work, perhaps." He didn't want to talk about it.

She smiled, recognizing his actions easily but knowing he didn't want to burden her with his problems. Then a thought crossed her mind. It was something that always helped her when she was feeling overwhelmed.

"Well, if it's stress, I know an easy way to relieve it."

It wasn't just what she had just said but rather the way her body coordinated with the words. Her head tilted to the side in a seemingly innocent manner, tastefully exposing her neck. Her blue eyes blinked patiently back, as if waiting for a response from him and that smile... There was a hint of mischief, he was so sure. It resembled the same look his mother carried before the infamous conversation with him. And up until that moment, he had been looking at her wall scrolls nonchalantly; but as soon as those choice words were spoken, his eyes snapped to the right and he raised his eyebrows in concern. The shy smile didn't help either. And yet, despite all the turmoil, the words that would seal his fate inevitably left his lips.

"Like what?"

She shifted her weight to her knees again, and he eyed her suspiciously.

"I'll _show_ you. And before you protest, I just want to say that even though I know it's not really your thing please give it a chance. I know you'll come to enjoy it soon enough."

Her back was to him now as she fumbled in her closet. But he didn't pay attention to what she was doing. His eyes shot around nervously. Something was telling him that this was his last chance, to find a way to escape the current situation while he still had his dignity and sanity intact. He'd had enough of her sexual advances. It was time to get it over with. But then again, maybe he was overanalyzing everything. She had yet to make a move on him but on the other hand, he couldn't simply ignore his mother's warnings. Usagi may appear innocent but that was possibly part of the plot as well, to deceive him by lowering his guard to dangerous levels before she maneuvered her way into his mind and effectively gain control over his actions. That was the only logical conclusion for he had yet to confront her or retaliate in any way necessary to defend himself, which meant she was already slowly consuming his mind and gaining control of the situation. The only thing left was what little rationality he had left. It might not have been too late to steer her away, maybe by negotiating some type of surrender from her.

"Listen, let's talk this out."

"Talk what out?" She glanced at a toy and scrunched her face, not knowing quite what to make of it before throwing it back into the closet.

"What we're attempting here. I deem it highly inappropriate for us."

She giggled. "Highly inappropriate? Hardly. I think it'll be lots of fun."

"I just don't think I'm ready for this."

"No need to be embarrassed. I admit that many people in the high ranks find it a guilty pleasure but it's really not a big deal, Itachi. My team and I do this all the time."

"Look, it's just that…" he paused, her words suddenly rushing back to him. "You _and_ your team do this?"

"Sure. All the time. Sometimes more than once a day. It's a real stress reliever."

"A..all _three_ of you?"

"Well that depends on what we do. Sometimes it calls for two, sometimes three…" She was still shuffling in her closet, tossing clothes and shoes aside, occasionally mumbling words of recognition to objects she had lost long ago. "Well except Haruka-sensei. It's really not her thing either. Although she can't say no to Michiru-san when she insists."

He didn't even bother preventing the tiny marks of red that appeared on his cheeks and was grateful she was baring her back to him at the moment.

"I'm just not sure about it."

"Don't back out now. I promise we'll have fun. Or what? You'd rather just sit there and watch me do this alone? That'd be awkward."

He regarded that question as rhetorical because there was no way he was answering it. That really made him nervous, and he had every intention to just knock her out right then and there. "No really, just stop. I don't want to change anything."

She frowned. "Change what? Why would this change anything?"

"Well…" he began to conjure up a logical explanation, one she couldn't deny any truth to. He started to think back to his mother's words. Some of that wisdom floating around may help ease the transition. "Do you know the story of the birds and the bees?"

She stopped shuffling and automatically turned around, giving him a perplexed stare. And he glanced back, ready for her to catch onto the meaning on her own, saving him a trouble of embarrassment and awkward silence.

"Is that the one where they're in like some kind of race but one of them sleeps too much and loses?"

He frowned. "No."

"Oh, well then is it the one where one of them gathers up all his food for winter and the other one doesn't so he has to starve?"

He was upset now. "_No_," was the stern reply.

She rolled her eyes and went back to searching. "Then I don't know. Tell me!"

"Never mind." He gave up on that explanation. There had to be another angle. "Okay, let's say you see someone different."

"Like someone I've never seen before?"

"No I mean someone you have seen before. Only now that person is different, gone through a radical change in his or her life."

She stopped again and turned around. This time, serious and she reached over for his hands, meeting his eyes in a gaze full of careful scrutiny. "Itachi, are you trying to tell me that you're…"

He harshly shoved the hands away. "If you so much as finish that _thought_, I _will_ kill you." He had enough questions in regard to his sexual orientation for one day.

"Okay, okay. Well then just tell me what you want to tell me. It's not like you to be indirect."

He sighed. She was right; he wasn't that type of person. But the conversation wasn't exactly an easy one to engage and he suddenly had a newfound admiration for his mother's audacity. "Okay _fine_. I'm trying to say, I don't think we should be…"

"Ah ha!" She turned around, carrying a pile of former elusive objects in her hands and slamming them on the table. "I knew I had them in there somewhere!"

"…playing a game." He glanced at the pile of board games on the table and then back at her, repeating the pattern several times before finally relaxing his gaze on the games.

"What? You're not bailing on me are you? Like I said, I know it's not your thing and you probably never done this before but—"

He didn't reply, simply let the information sink in. And when it finally hit him that he _was_ indeed overanalyzing everything, that his mother _was_ wrong about the correct signs, that Usagi _wasn't_ a sexual deviant like Shisui and that all this time he _had_ worried for naught, it occurred to him just how amusing this whole evening with her must have appeared. And when it became all too much to process, he dropped his head on the table.

"...and so you should just give it a try and…Itachi?" He didn't reply. His head was on the table, hand on his stomach and he began to shake. "Itachi?" Still nothing but she began to hear soft choking sounds coming from him. "Itachi? What's wrong? Are you breaking into convulsions? It's the medicine isn't it? Oh crap, I didn't bother to check if you were allergic to anything. Just hang on, I'll find a medic and…"

His hand caught her wrist and she looked back down. Her knees eventually returned to the ground and that's when she saw it. A genuine smile on his face.

"Are you…_laughing_?" It wasn't a loud or haughty laugh and quite honestly not many people would have even identified it as one. But she knew him well enough to know that his small gasps of air were undoubtedly chuckles.

"You…you're just. I can't believe…I thought…"

"What? I don't understand you. What's so funny? I want to know."

A quarter of a minute later and he had officially calmed down. Looking over at her questioning form, curious as to what could have possibly made someone like him fall into fits of laughter. And it was at that genuinely innocent face that he relaxed. The mishaps from earlier far from his mind as well as the conversation he had with his mother. In that brief look, she had reverted back to the childlike image he always maintained of her, the genjutsu of any other effectively broken.

"Nothing."

"Okay…" She trailed off, muttering a 'weirdo' under her breath. "So…do you want to play?"

It was definitely an improvement from his earlier predicament. "Sure." He didn't want to go home and she was genuinely trying to help without pushing him to reveal his true problems. It was just common courtesy to go along with her. And he had to admit, the game was relaxing and amusing—especially when she had no idea about the rules. He first watched as she set up the pieces, incorrectly at that. Then she began to move in an unorthodox way. Itachi wasn't quite sure what to make of it and ignored the setup, moving the pieces along as he normally would. But at that last move, he finally pieced together what her problem was.

"King me!"

"I can't 'king you'."

"What? Why not?"

"Because this is _shougi_."

Usagi blinked. "What? You mean this _isn't_ checkers?"

"No."

She took the box and inspected it. "Huh. Well, that explains everything. I just thought the mat and little pieces were updated. Hmm, no wonder there aren't any bright colors." She looked over at the mat. "Or any colors at all, actually."

He raised an eyebrow as his head pointed her over to the cover of the game. "It says so on the box."

She blushed. "I…can't… er…read kanji very well."

An awkward silence followed as it did in every moment that she made errors. They each waited for the other to say or do something. It became too quiet that he heard the clock's hands moved. She began to lightly tap on the table and he stared away, unsure what to do. But he needn't worry, for as usual, she was the first to break the silence.

"King me anyway."

"It doesn't work that way in this game."

"Just do it," she pouted.

"Fine." He picked up one of the pieces she 'won' and placed it on top of another only to have it slide and fall off. After one more try they both fell into a few fits of laughs at the silliness. It was always like her to use humor to get them back on track.

"Let's just play another game." He pointed over to another box in the pile that was moved to the floor. "That one right there, the real checkers game."

She looked over and searched through the pile, pulling it out when she found it and dusting it off a bit to read the cover. "Ha, so it is! I can't wait!"

She set up the board once again, and this time had it right. He made the first move and was immediately stopped.

"No, no! We're playing rainbow checkers now!"

"Excuse me?"

"Rainbow checkers! You have to move your pieces like it was rainbow. We already played the other checkers…"

"It was _shougi_."

"Yeah but we _played_ it like checkers. So now we have to spice the game up a bit."

He blinked. There was just no end to her antics. "Fine. How do you play?"

"Rules are the same only _how_ you move is different. Instead of sliding back and forth on the black, you have to move in an arch on it. If you can't move at any point, you forfeit the game. Got it?"

"Ah." He muttered some words at how silly it was of the rules to something he was sure she concocted on her own.

They began to take turns moving and in just a matter of a handful of moves, Itachi had effectively hopped over a majority of her pieces.

"No fair!" She narrowed her eyes. "Deactivate your sharingan!"

"What?"

"Your sharingan, get rid of it. You're using it to cheat because I'll have you know I have _never_ lost in rainbow checkers. So turn them off."

"I can't 'turn them off.' I need to be able to see."

"But you're cheating with them on!"

"Yes, Usagi. Years of analyzing and copying jutsu have led me to this day, in which I could efficiently use my knowledge and prowess in a game of checkers."

"That's right! So off with them!"

"I told you. I can't see very well without them. I wouldn't be able to move. Or maybe I should. It would even the playing field."

"You're a jerk. Fine! Keep your sharingan. We'll play another game. One that doesn't require any analyzing whatsoever."

She pulled out a new board while putting the old one away. This new game had a very different approach. There was a track that ran circular, obviously indicating a beginning and end to some type of race.

"There's this bubble here in the middle with a dice. You pop it and then it bounces the dice. The number indicates how much you can move. You move your piece accordingly and the first one to the end wins. Got it?"

"Yes."

"You won the last one so it's your move."

He did as told and popped the bubble. "Three." And he moved his red piece three spaces.

"My turn. Watch and learn, Uchiha." She popped the bubble and the dice read 'six' a second later. She began to taunt him by counting the spaces as she moved. "Wow, Itachi. You're so far behind."

"Once again, you're math skills are lacking. I'm only three spaces behind you."

"Whatever, just go."

They continued the game, and true to her name, Usagi received the most luck as she constantly received the same number every turn.

"I win."

"You cheated."

"Excuse me?"

"No one can get that lucky. You rigged the game."

"If I used a genjutsu of some sort, you would have easily identified it."

"Then this bubble is rigged." He popped it again and received yet another low number.

"No, it just doesn't like you. And I'm insulted you're even making such an accusation at me!"

"You accused _me_ of cheating."

"You have a kekkei genkai that works in your favor at every situation. What do I have to tip the game in my favor?"

"Whatever."

"Fine, we'll play something else to even the score."

"Like what?"

"A card game!"

"I hope it's not those children's card games."

"Nope. We'll play Speed!" Then she thought about the huge advantage he had as his hands always moved at lightning speed. She wouldn't be able to keep up with him. "On second thought, let's play Old Maid." She handed the deck for him to shuffle and flinched as he did it so quickly she couldn't even tell he was holding anything anymore. It was definitely a smart move to switch the games.

"I'll go first since I won the last one."

He held up his hand and she assessed her choices. There was no point in trying to decipher Itachi's expressions. His patented poker face was on. Her eyes looked left and then right. It was always a known strategy of hers to avoid the middle at all costs as well as the ends. With a tongue out as she pondered her choices, she opted for a card on his left side, closer to the middle. "This one!" She had correctly drawn a seven of hearts and put the two cards away. "Beat that!"

"My turn." Luckily for him, Usagi didn't possess his stoic expressions and it was easy for him to see where she didn't want him to go. He looked to the left and noticed a tiny bead of sweat. He moved to the middle and she suddenly began a tapping motion with her legs under the table. Finally, he opted for that particular area, she was obviously eager for him to move on. "I think I'll go with this one." He turned it around and frowned.

"Joker, huh? Too bad."

It earned her a faint smile. He had to hand it to her. He fell for the taunt. Next time, he wouldn't fall easily to her games.

"My turn again."

They patiently waited for each other to take turns. Sometimes winning, sometimes drawing more undesired cards. Eventually, it came to a second round in which they were tied and the cards needed reshuffling. Usagi took the initiative and began to shuffle, hoping she could rub some of her luck in drawing a good hand. But after two different types of shuffling, she slowed down to a stop. Itachi had begun rubbing his eyes, he leaned heavily on one hand and he began to yawn softly.

"You tired? We can quit for now."

He had not even realized what he was doing until she pointed it out. While playing the game and keeping his focus, his mind begun to blur as well as his vision. Slowly, he felt his eyelids shut and open constantly. And watching her shuffle was the final straw, as it gave his body enough time to stop and realize that it was stimulated enough. It was time to call it a day. "Yes, I suppose that would be wise. I am getting a little exhausted."

"It's probably the pills too. They're making you drowsy."

That was another possibility. It usually took a while for medicine to kick in with its side effects. He should have remembered to ask her about the specifics of the medicine's composition and effects before just popping them in his mouth. But it was an argument not worth the effort given his current tired state. He gave out another yawn.

"Yeah, I should probably head home. It's already late."

"But you had fun, didn't you? Tell me, you didn't once think about your problems did you?"

No, he hadn't. But he didn't say that. She seemed to know the answer nonetheless.

"Told you! Board games are fun."

He held back a smile. "I should get going now."

She sighed. Itachi never did like to admit when she was right. Or that he enjoyed something he probably assumed most men his age shouldn't enjoy. "Okay. Let me use the restroom. I'll meet you at the front door in a minute."

His eyes followed her through the hallway until she disappeared behind a door. And even though he nodded at her statement to assure her he would wait, he contemplated leaving right then and there. He had intruded enough and had probably overstayed his welcome. But even though he told himself that, he ended up stepping back into her room. And instead he walked around in it, surveying everything in his surroundings.

There were a few scrolls on the wall, all containing characters, and not the kanji variety either. The bed, which he now noticed, was adorned by creamy white comforters. The first time he ever went into her bedroom, he was positive it would be drowning in pink; she never ceased to amaze him at all the contradictions she encompassed. One minute she was a down and dirty tomboy while the next, she was dressed in a feminine gown or skirt, acting like the girlish child she was. He looked over by her pillows. She purchased more stuffed animals; the turtle was new. And just as he predicted, she already 'welcomed him into the family' as she always put it. That constituted a name and the yellow markings on its belly suggested it to be Haru-chan. Well, who was he to judge? Sasuke still had that tiny stuffed dinosaur he got him when they were little, Oni-chan or other. Of course, his little brother was oblivious to the fact that he knew that tiny bit of information. It was always hidden deep in his closet. In actuality, Sasuke probably assumed _no one_ knew about Oni-chan and desired that it remain a secret pleasure of a distant childhood. Had it been any normal type of sibling relationship, he knew he would have readily used that as blackmail against him. Especially against any potential lovers in the future. He chuckled at the cruel thought.

Itachi's eyes bore into the bed as a hand reached over to touch the frames. They were made of simple maple wood, a type of tree not native to Konoha. It must have come from a trade dealer. Then his hand reached over to smooth out wrinkles in the bed, silk and polyester. They looked so inviting. After giving the room one final inspection on its layout, Itachi fell back onto the bed none too elegantly and stared up at the ceiling. So much transpired that day. He cursed his father who began ruining his life since day one. That meeting was a general nuisance to him and a complete waste of time. Such an exasperating man. Just the mention of him brought up ill feelings and he quickly turned to his side as if by staring at the ceiling, he was looking at him directly. He sighed as he thought about Sasuke as well. Despite having patched up a little of their relationship from the confrontation, he knew it was going to be a while until they got back into the swing of their normal routine. It usually worked out that way every time they bickered or squalled. And he shifted to his other side, as the very image of his little brother's angry face stared right back at him. Then his mother came crashing into his mind and her insistence on him improving his sex life. He shifted once again to bury his face into the sheets.

Upon doing so, he relaxed a bit more and he sank further into the mattress. It felt enticingly better than the futon he slept on at home, which consisted basically of a few sheets on the floor. He made a mental note that should he ever venture on his own, away from his current residence, he would definitely buy himself a bed. His head rested on her pillows, wonderful and soft cotton wrapped in exquisite silk. His muscles began to relax even more and a sigh escaped him. The feeling of soft pillows was overwhelmingly soothing. And the sheets smelled extremely pleasant. He pressed his nose up to them and inhaled. A hint of apple berry. It was a scent he recognized occasionally on her kunoichi uniform. So very intoxicating.

A small groan escaped him as he realized he really didn't want to leave this sanctuary. Maybe it was the pills taking effect? That could explain his lethargic movements. He cursed the girl for drugging him. Well, he would deal with her later about it. But for now he closed his eyes and assured himself that he would merely rest them for a moment before heading off. Running a quick check of the events that transpired earlier, he began to slowly lose consciousness. He began to whisper curses, curses at people who had dared make his day such an eventful one. His father, his mother, his little brother, his superior officers, that idiot Shisui, everyone at the police force…and of course, that stupid Usagi. And before he realized what was even happening, he drifted off into sleep completely.

"Hey, where are you? I've been waiting for you for…" When Usagi made it back to her room, she was greeted with that very sight. She brought a hand to her mouth and giggled stiflingly as she realized how adorable he looked at that moment. He was sprawled all over her bed, head to the side, breathing even and hair falling down on his face. The covers were thrown about by his feet and he was surrounded by various types of stuffed animals and plushes. He himself was holding her tiny turtle, Haru-chan, tightly as he continued to doze off, oblivious to anything and everything around him. She quietly tiptoed towards him and brought her covers up to tuck him in, letting a hand rake his hair out of his face. She was surprised when he didn't wake up since he was usually a light sleeper. The pills probably did him in as the side effects were particularly strong. Then again, it's what made them extremely efficient healers as well. And judging from his current tired state, they were what the doctor called for. He had obviously gone through a lot of trouble today and needed the break, so she didn't bother to even _attempt_ to wake him up. Giving up on the idea, she instead began to put away her kotatsu and games, watching every now and then for signs of him waking up as a result of all the noise she was generating, but he didn't. She slid the table back under the bed and shoved the games back into the corner from which they were first unearthed. She closed the door to her closet and smoothed out her shirt as well as she wiped out some sweat from her forehead. When everything was once again clean and he remained stationed on her bed, she walked over and turned off all the lights minus one small night light by the bed.

She sighed as she glanced around her room. That was the only bed she possessed. Sleeping on the couch wasn't a bad idea, but then what if he woke up and needed something? Frowning at the wooden floors, she realized that tonight may not be a comfortable one for _her_.

"Guess, I'm sleeping on the floor," she sighed in resignation.

Walking over to another corner of the room, she gathered up some covers and laid them on the floor beside the bed. After two layers, she was satisfied it would suffice for one night. She stole a body pillow from her bed and tossed it down as well for more padding. Before finally laying her body down to rest, she took one last look at him.

Offering nothing more than a lazy smile.

**End.**

* * *

Ah! That took quite a bit to plan out but interestingly enough, not much to write up...a draft anyway. Took longer than I thought since it went through many revisions, my betas insisted on a bit more detail during Itachi's sexual tension. So there you have it. And this comes in early too, just in time for his birthday in early June. I hope to get a new chapter out if not by mid June then hopefully by Usagi's birthday which is the last day. I dedicate the month of June to them both since they both celebrate birthdays then.

On another note, I will be busy for awhile on another project. For those of you who don't know, the month of July is going to be a SasuSaku (sasuke/sakura) fest. Many authors, artists, and video editors have signed up to dedicate their work for this couple. I have signed up for a few things as well and will try to be working on them during June in order to make it to the deadlines. I will continue to work on HC during that time but updates will not be soon; I don't think anyway. Please be patient with me. And if you would like to participate in this event, please visit Paige0_o's profile which can be found in my favorite authors. Thank you all again.

Review if you like

~_Icehaze_


	6. V Primary

**Disclaimer:** No one will ever understand my suffering. The torture that comes with not owning Naruto or Sailor Moon. Such is the tragedy that ensues upon a fanfiction author. Damn you Kishimoto and Takeuchi. I shall get you back...somehow. (If you don't get the reference, definitely do some research).  
**Timeline:** Non Massacre, slighlty alternate...only slightly. Even though it is a crossover, yes...only slightly.  
**Warnings:** Language, sexual suggestive situations and Shisui  
**Author's Notes:** I had every intention to get this out by June 30. Unfortunately I don't have Dialga and as such cannot control time. The story came out a little later but that's the fate of people with actual jobs and other projects.

* * *

**Primary**

* * *

A cold chill ran through his spine which instinctively made his body shiver. He pulled the sheets over his head and buried himself further into the mattress. And after a few seconds of deliberating the fact that a mattress was underneath his body, did he suddenly jerk his eyes open in an abrupt fashion.

It was still dark; the only lights illuminating the room being the small amount of moonlight creeping through the curtains of a balcony, one he didn't recall owning. His breathing picked up slightly as he tried to adjust to the darkness; images being nothing but shadowed blurs. He activated his sharingan in his alarmed state. It was almost like cat vision; the heightened senses allowed him to survey his surroundings more appropriately. He didn't recall the shade of color of the curtains, nor did he recall curtains for that matter. The creamy colors of the walls were also foreign, as were the scrolls hanging from them and the lampshade right next to him. His closet was not supposed to be so close to the bed and his body should not have been so elevated up from the floor.

He was a little alarmed and blamed it mostly on his half sleepy state. In a rush to uncover his whereabouts, his body rose quickly from the bed. And he would have made it another two steps, were it not for an obstacle in the ground that caused his body to stumble over. Using his reflexes, he held two arms out and easily managed to soften his landing.

"What the…?"

He turned around at a small amount of noise that was beginning to increase in volume. It was a horrid moaning sound, almost eerie. There were no words, the sounds being nothing more than incoherent babble. The voice became louder and louder until soon, his eyes began to notice the shape of an apparition appear before him. The figure started out as a lump and then slowly, it began to take a more definite shape. Clothed hands shot out from each side of the main lump and now the figure had three huge humps wailing about.

"Uhhhh….mehhhh…."

"What are you?" For a split second, Itachi had almost conceded to the notion that it was perhaps a vengeful spirit appearing before him to torture at his conscience. But the idea was immediately discarded as his mind came to; ghosts were nothing more than works of fiction and he reprimanded himself at the silly idea.

"Who are you?"

The moans became louder, yet no words were formed. Instead, the three lumps of white began to get bigger, rising and looking down at his crouched form.

"Muohhhh…meahh….uaaa"

When the voice did not respond, he got on his feet and kicked it back. With a loud noise, it collided with the bed. If he had doubts of it being a wandering spirit before, those doubts were extinguished now. Any apparition would not have absorbed a physical hit, let alone collided with physical objects. And a genjutsu was out of the question. No, this was an intruder. And how one got past Uchiha security was beyond his guess.

The moans became louder now, more incoherent and suddenly increasingly threatening. The apparition rose, flailing angrily and violently. Itachi responded by closing in and using his elbow to knock the figure back to the ground, his knee caught said figure's stomach and delivered an obviously painful blow. It was then he began to hear more moaning and wheezing. The figure was coughing now. And he narrowed his eyes as he heard words begin to form.

"I…ta…chi…you…bas…tard…"

This intruder knew him; suspicion rose. He responded by immediately capturing the figure in a headlock between his arms. And the body began to thrash more violently now; it was quite apparent it was desperate for air.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"It's…..mmm…e…you…idi…ot…"

That choked voice was distinctly female; one he recognized instantly. He released his hold on her quite suddenly as that information processed, watching as she fell to the floor with no resistance. He reached over and pulled the sheets off and the figure of the female coughing and gasping for breath bore into his eyes. "Usagi?"

"You tried to kill me."

"Sorry."

"You say sorry when you accidentally step on someone's toes. When you accidentally call them by the wrong name. When you pass by them without noticing them and saying hello. Hell, when you forget their birthday. You _don't_ say sorry when you attempt to _murder_ them!"

She grabbed her body pillow and attempted to throw him down and choke him but was stopped abruptly by his strong hands.

"I thought you were an intruder."

"An intruder?"

"Yes. Now tell me what you are doing in my room."

"You mean _my_ room."

"Your room?"

"Yes, _my_ room. This is my place, Itachi."

He glanced around at his surroundings, understanding now why nothing seemed at all familiar to him. He should have realized it sooner.

She noticed his disoriented appearance, almost as if he had inherited a small bout of amnesia. "You fell asleep here last night, after we hung out."

His head looked every which way, piecing out the previous night's events. When it finally became clear that it may have already been the next day, he rose again in alarm.

"What time is it?"

Usagi grabbed her blankets and proceeded to lie back down. "Early."

"I know 'early.' But what time is it? What are the hours?"

"There _are_ no hours before sunrise, only early." She shoved her face into her pillow, giving him one loud yawn before turning over into her makeshift bed.

He muttered an 'idiot' before getting up and heading over to the bathroom to wash his face. After giving it a quick splash, he dried up and immediately went to search for a way to unveil the dreaded hours. "You need an alarm clock in your room."

"Not you too," she slurred and attempted to ignore his lecture by burying under her pillow and blanket. She had enough lecturing from her sensei and peers; she didn't need one from him now as well, especially so early in the morning.

Ignoring her, he went back into the living room where he remembered the antique clock he helped set up for her the previous evening. And the second he caught the position of the hour hand, he immediately scurried about.

"Hey what's wrong?" she called out from her room.

"I have to go, now."

"Why? What time is it?"

"Six-fifteen."

"That's it? You're freaking out because it's just a little past six? The sun's not even up yet."

"The sun's not up because of the position the hemisphere is currently in due to the—"

"Spare me the geology lesson. It's too early for lectures." She grabbed the pillow and smashed it on her face. "Anyway why does it matter what time it is? Just go back to sleep."

"Unlike some lazy people I know, I actually have work that needs to be done."

"This early in the morning?"

"Work never rests with the Uchiha. If I don't start early, I would be working throughout the night finishing it up." After straightening his clothes out in front of the bathroom mirror, he took quick strides to the door. It was only when he started putting his footwear on that Usagi decided to enter the living room to bid him farewell. Her hair was completely disheveled and her clothes wrinkled. One hand was carefully rubbing her right eye while the other was dragging a blanket across the floor.

"Well good morning, sunshine."

"Very funny." She took a deep yawn and continued to rub her eyes, smacking her mouth at the distasteful morning breath.

"You really are not a morning person."

"No. And when I become future dictator of this universe, the whole concept will be banned. I will demand work to begin no earlier than noon."

He strapped one of his footwear on while shaking his head at the notion. "And what about your beloved pancakes? Without breakfast, you would have to do without them."

"I'm going to be a ruler. I can very well eat pancakes whenever the hell I please."

"Foolish girl." He finished tying his shoes and straightened his figure to a full stand. "I better get going. If I wait any longer, someone from headquarters is bound to throw a fit."

"Okay," she yawned. "When will I see you again?"

"Not for a while. I'll be very busy the next few weeks. I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"All right, then. Guess I'll see you later."

"Ah."

He left immediately and she watched the door a few seconds after his disappearance. She was still worried about him. Although she was glad to take his mind off a few things, she knew there was just something off kilter about him. He was very pensive and wary the previous night. Suspicious of her every move and extremely cautious to reveal nothing of his personal life. Itachi was never one to bring her into his affairs and a small part of her felt a slight hint of disappointment for not being involved in the major parts of his life. But such was their friendship, as he would have liked to have it anyway. She suspected a lot had to do with his clan's view of the world outside its own. She wasn't naïve enough to believe they would accept her existence and most likely, would be suspicious of her leaking information to others as she was merely an outsider in their eyes. And so she kept on believing that Itachi was doing this to protect her which gave her some reassurance that he did care, to some extent.

"I wonder what's wrong him." She would have liked to inquire a bit more last night as to what exactly made him behave so strangely. Itachi never liked people pressuring him into answering questions but if she knew more about the circumstances leading to his peculiar mood, then it would have been easier to help him. Even if he had no desire for it.

"Oh well." She walked over to lock the door before turning around to get a few more hours of sleep. Stopping by the couch, she picked up a piece of thrown clothing and headed off back into the room. But halfway there, she began to realize that the texture of that particular clothing was very foreign to her touch. And when she glanced down to analyze it, she realized that it was because that clothing was, in fact, not hers. Itachi never left behind any traces that would indicate he was ever in any given area, especially not her apartment. Judging by the fact that he was careless enough to do such a thing now, it became apparent to her as to how disoriented he was at the moment. She would definitely have to bring it up on their next meeting. It just wasn't normal.

"Unless…" It hadn't been that long since he left. She could easily get dressed and catch up to him. Her speed was far superior to even Itachi's and so she could utilize that and a few shortcuts to cut him off. Once there, she could use the garment as an excuse to see him in order to initialize conversation. Itachi never liked her coming too close to the Uchiha district; he would be even more on edge if they showed up together. It was the perfect way to trap him then. Force a confession by threatening to follow. He would be much too nervous to call her bluff and eventually give her something to satisfy her curiosity of his behavior. She folded up the clothing and giggled at her mischievous plan. Once she figured out his problems, she was certain she could help him resolve them.

And all would be normal again.

* * *

"Captain, are you sure?"

"Yes. Now rally the people I've assigned and have them meet up at the designated area."

As soon as his scout left, he began pacing around the house viciously and glancing at the clock impatiently. When he realized how late it was becoming, he mumbled some incoherent swears. The whole situation had him irritable, for many reasons besides the lack of sleep.

"Fugaku, sweetie. Calm down."

She pleaded for him to return to the kitchen to calm his nerves with some tea but he refused each time. She knew something was amiss the moment she heard her husband stomping around the house after leaving Itachi's room. She had slowly opened her eyes from the commotion, knowing that based on his actions, Itachi had probably not returned at all last night.

"Where is that little brat?"

"Will you relax? I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation."

"He didn't come home at all last night. You think that's something to take easy?"

"Itachi has done this before; it's not unusual."

"Yes but until now he has never outright lied to us about his whereabouts. I knew asking the Hokage for the time off from Anbu would pay off. I just didn't expect he would slip up so soon. We must have caught him completely off guard."

"Maybe we're jumping to conclusions. After all, Itachi gets sudden missions all the time—most of them classified. Maybe the Hokage needed him on an urgent assignment and had to break the deal?"

"The arrangements made, _specifically_ stated that should he be going on any mission that the Uchiha Police be notified of his absence. As you can see, none of the Hokage's aides have made it here to inform us of such a thing."

"Maybe they think it's too early?"

"Our work here never stops. There is always someone stationed at headquarters. They could have easily reported to them and sent a shinobi to me."

"Maybe we're overreacting. Maybe he's…"

"What? Staying over at his lover's place I presume? Please, Mikoto. This is serious. And I expect you to handle the situation as such. Enough with these idiotic fantasies of yours."

"Well it was just a thought!"

"No, that boy is probably stirring up trouble as it is. When he gets here, I'm taking him straight to headquarters for a real interrogation."

"Shouldn't you wait until you at least talk to Shisui? He might have more information regarding his absence."

"We can't waste time. If Itachi…" His form straightened into a soldier's stance. His eyes narrowed and focused on the environment around him. "Speak of the devil." Fugaku recognized his son's presence immediately and walked away, Mikoto following close behind. When they rounded the corner and headed down the corridor and out the door, they caught their son glancing over as he walked into the house's small courtyard. Fugaku immediately stalked over onto the cold wet grass to meet his son halfway.

"Itachi?"

Itachi merely stared passively, waiting for his father to continue.

"It's almost seven; I've been waiting for you for some time now. Where have you been?"

He could ignore his father's tone; he was always impatient to begin work. On top of that, he had a strict routine he refused to let run astray. It meant accomplishing everything at the exact time it needed to be done. It was understandable he was upset at his normal schedule being thrown off right in the morning. But what set him into caution mode was his mother's worried and pleading looks.

"I was out delivering a scroll last night and then had some duties to tend to soon after. It consumed a majority of my time."

Fugaku immediately glanced over at Mikoto who was now equally concerned.

"Very well. Get dressed for the day and report to the front of the house when you are done. We have some important work that needs to be finished back at headquarters."

He opened his mouth to protest but was immediately silenced by his father's next words.

"Your other duties will wait for another time, as I have already informed your superiors that you will be occupied with domestic affairs for some time now."

He narrowed his eyes instantly. In that one sentence, a few things were made clear to him. Not only was his father suspicious again of his behavior, but he was now at the clan's mercy. His father had obviously made arrangements without his knowledge to exclude him from his usual line of work in Anbu. And doubled with the fact that he admitted to doing a job that was nonexistent and being caught in the lie, Itachi realized just how much deeper in the hole he was buried. He would have to be extremely careful in his next steps in order to work his way out of the situation.

"Ah." He retreated to his room as instructed.

"Now what?"

Fugaku did look at Mikoto but offered no response, simply brushing past her to wait for his son outside. After a short amount of time, Itachi returned in his jounin attire.

"Let's go."

Mikoto watched as her husband and son walked away to work together. There was a horrible feeling settling in her stomach. She knew what Fugaku was up to. With the others summoned to meet up, it meant they would conduct an open interrogation with Itachi. And she needn't be reminded of how aggressive those men could be with their victims. She clutched onto her shirt in agony; despite the possibilities, the thought of those scoundrels hurting her son made her sick with worry. Ignoring her husband's earlier pleas to stay behind, she hurried out the house and rushed up to meet with them.

All household members fled the scene, unbeknownst to them that their actions were carefully monitored.

"What the hell is going on?"

Usagi hopped down from her previous concealed position on the roof. Despite knowing that it was probably not in her interest to listen to family quarrels, she couldn't help but remain hidden and eavesdrop. There was no doubt when she did, that whatever problems Itachi was facing, were a result of tension in his family. His father was obviously agitated at him for having been missing all night and she felt guilty at causing the friction since Itachi was covering up the true story. And when she noticed the two parents stealing glances at each other, she knew something was up, even when they dismissed the conversation in preparation for work. She was willing to let all that go and be about her business, when she caught his mother watching them leave, following their trail soon after. It was at that action that Usagi realized that whatever was about to transpire was not going to be pleasant for Itachi.

She sighed. It was beyond her control and Itachi would be upset if she intervened. No. It was best to just leave now and avoid it all. After carefully examining the area and realizing there was no presence of anyone left in the house, she jumped off the roof and ran to the small deck leading to the side entrance. Venturing only a few feet into the house, she decided to simply drop the article on the floor. It wouldn't look too suspicious. His mother would attempt laundry later and brush it off as simple laziness. But then an idea struck her.

The three of them were heading over to the Uchiha police station, of that she was certain. Perhaps there was a way she could gain more insight as to how far Itachi's problems ran and maybe even conjure up a solution. She could easily pretend she found the jacket on the streets and return it to the lost and found, in which she would have secured her entrance into the main part of the building and attempt to sneak around to pry for information.

Usagi glanced up at the sky, small rays of light were beginning to glitter the sky and she knew that the complete sunrise would not be far off. She would wait only a little more until she made her move into their territory, then it wouldn't look so suspicious as to why she was up and about on her own so early in the morning. She ran off from his house and loitered in the vicinity for a while, biding her time until she was ready to move in with her plan.

* * *

"I wonder what's got everyone so worked up."

He had finished his official guard duty a few hours ago, desperate to finish up his report and get some sleep before meeting with Fugaku later that day. What he had not expected were the number of officers already present inside the building. It was true that a lot of the grunt work was accomplished at night including basic cleaning duties and paperwork, but never had he seen such an orchestrated chaos at such an early time. The usual mess didn't arrive until after lunch. And he knew from the way everyone was moving that this was not a regular rush of work that was suddenly thrown upon them. Several officers were dallying about, giving rough instructions and securing the area in the back, making sure to clear any obstructions. More men working in that area were given the explicit orders to move away as several other men entered the back corridors. It was the main interrogation room; there was no mistake about it. His eyes caught one of the men coming out from the back and Shisui realized it was his only chance at gathering intelligence.

"Oi, Tekka!"

The man gave a few commands to some officers and hesitantly walked over to Shisui.

"Is the captain here yet? I have to update him on a few things."

"You're going to have to wait until possibly this afternoon. The captain will be here but you won't be permitted to see him yet."

"Why's that?"

Tekka took a few steps back before submitting to the fact that he had once again relayed too much attention. "Why is it always me you try to pry information from? Can't you get another officer in trouble?"

"Hey, come on. It's not like I'm asking you for details. I just want to know what's going on."

"I…don't know."

"Look, if it's about Itachi, I already know the situation. We discussed it the other day remember? Plus, Chief has already given me orders to keep an eye on the guy. The message I want to relay to him pertains to the case. I was ordered to be present for the interrogation should it arise soon. So I need you to confirm the information to me. I need to join those men."

"Well, okay. They're preparing the interrogation as we speak."

"Then I take it he got caught?"

"Yes. He was missing all night long and didn't return home until this morning. He was also found lying in regards to his duties in Anbu. He told Mikoto-san that he was finishing up Anbu work last night. And well, you know that he's not working there temporarily."

"I see."

"If you're going to be part of this, you should prepare to head over to the back of the building, interrogation room B. Your old man and a few others should be waiting for you. And you might want to hurry up."

"Thanks Tekka, I appreciate it."

As Tekka left to finish up more preparations, Itachi and his parents walked into the building. Shisui noticed Itachi's head keeping low, walking in slow strides as his father and now several others began to walk right behind him. And had it not been for his unbound state, Itachi would have appeared like every other criminal that was brought into the station. He walked down the main lobby and past several offices before completely disappearing into the back corridor. The two exchanged only a brief moment of eye contact as the others began ushering him to continue his pace. He listened in for any clues about the specifics of the interrogation but only heard muttered instructions to Fugaku and Mikoto who were asked to wait outside with their son as everyone was briefed on what was going to happen. He wondered what exactly was going on inside Itachi's mind at the moment. For someone about to be in quite an ordeal, he was handling the situation calmly, but such was his nature. Either way, there had to be a way in.

There were too many people, and those genuinely involved in the case proved that the matter was being treated with utmost respect. The problem was that he stretched the truth with Tekka. He was not exactly involved with the interrogation per se. While he did have information to report and played an active role in this entire plot, he was never invited by Fugaku to the actual interrogation. Getting into the room would have to be an act of intrusion on his part and would require a well thought out plan and some stealth. Simply demanding to be a part of the congregation would not suffice with the superiors who were much smarter than Tekka and would also not fall for his cons. No, he would have to come up with something else.

Suddenly the sounds of the glass doors opening alerted his ears to a new presence, one that was not readily welcomed by the officers as they gave harsh instructions for the person to leave and come at a later time. His ears twitched in recognition to the voice of the recipient. His body was suddenly alerted completely to the situation at hand. His mind had begun to work diligently at concocting another idea and as soon as everything processed accordingly, did he allow his lips to pull up into a smile.

* * *

It was a different room from before, much smaller, and much darker. There were a few candles hung around here and there, creating a much more somber ambience. From each position of the candle was an officer aligned in the outer rim of the room. Normally, interrogations were given by one officer to make it a solely interpersonal conversation among two. But he knew they wouldn't risk such a thing. There was some credit to be offered for their intelligence, and the chair in the middle proved that much. He caught a glimpse of some familiar patterns under the chair which he concluded to be some kind of seal. The officers were obviously taking every precaution, even restricting him from his sharingan during the process. He sighed. It was going to be a rough conversation.

"We'll begin as soon as everyone settles in. Tekka?"

The brown-haired man walked into the center of the room, appearing right before Itachi with a pair of unique cuffs. Itachi realized then how much harder it would be to control the situation, given that they planned to restrict his chakra as well as his sharingan. And as soon as he allowed them to bind his hands behind his back, he was given orders to remain seated.

Yashiro, the man given the task as the main interrogator made a motion for the other officers not needed to guard outside. Itachi watched as he marched right over to his parents afterwards.

"Captain, I please ask that you excuse your wife from the room."

"Mikoto."

"No. I'm staying. This concerns me just as much as you, Fugaku."

"This is not the time to argue, Mikoto. Just do as you're told. This is no place for a w—"

"For a what? A woman? I'm his mother. I have every right to be here, even more so than any of these men."

"Interrogations can get ugly, Mikoto. You won't be allowed to interfere; your emotions can't get the better of you."

"I…I understand. But you forget I was a kunoichi before being a mother. I won't interfere. I simply want to hear the truth from him. And I know this will be the only way to hear it all out." She also didn't want Fugaku twisting any information from the interrogation which she was sure he would do had she not been present. No, the only way to clear Itachi was for every family member to be present, to prevent any distortion of truths.

Fugaku sighed, relenting in his wife's unwavering determination. "Very well. But remember, we are not to interfere with the interrogation."

"Yes, I promise."

He nodded over at Yashiro who reluctantly accepted his captain's response. "All right then. We'll begin the interrogation momentarily. Your jobs in this will be to watch for any physical cues Itachi may leak." He nodded over to the select few that were allowed in, assigned to wait against the wall. He then looked over to the elder who returned a nod, assuring Yashiro that all was ready and that it was okay to begin.

"I want to remind all of you that anything that goes on in this room will remain strictly confidential. Anyone found revealing information will be prosecuted and dealt with accordingly. During the time of this interrogation, no one will be permitted to leave or speak. Only the officers designated in advance will take an active part in this interrogation."

Itachi wanted desperately to roll his eyes as Yashiro continued to read over the regulations pertaining to the interrogation. He tried even harder to fight it as he walked over and began reading his rights as a citizen. It wasn't as if any of that would be exercised in his case. He was sure they would completely forego protocol as they already had done. Any accusations of treason made on an Anbu official usually entailed dealing directly with the Hokage. But when he thought back to his father's statement, he realized that they somehow bypassed that normal protocol by gaining some type of special permission from him. It was unsure when they went about doing it as it wasn't even hinted to him while at work. The circumstances made his situation more difficult as he wasn't able to plea for his usual rights and immunity. It was amusing, how far these people were willing to go on about a case which had no pre-existing evidence or basis. Leave it to an Uchiha to chase fireflies in daylight.

"Again, I remind you that you are on record as of now. And with that said, we'll begin. Uchiha Itachi you are currently held under the suspicion of illegal activities. I'm sure you are aware that the Uchiha have been watching you for some time and have been investigating the situation recently. As with protocol, you are given the opportunity to state your case and any evidence that could clear you from any accusations during the course of this interrogation. We'll begin with the most recent suspicious activity, your whereabouts last night. According to your mother, you left the house at approximately five forty-eight evening time. Please address to the people in this room what you were doing that preoccupied your time from the hours of five forty-eight until approximately six fifty-seven this morning."

There were two ways out of this: tell the truth about Usagi, or distort the night's occurrences a little. His first instinct was to simply tell them the truth but realized instantly that it wouldn't be that simple. Their minds were already set that he was involved in some type of crime. Judging by how Yashiro had given him the opportunity to speak as well as Inabi on the sidelines ready to play the bad cop, he knew instantly the strategy laid before him if only because he had perfected it himself. They were going to volley different tempos back and forth, soft and benevolent then harsh and violent until they coerced a false confession from him. In turn, they would subsequently create a series of hypothetical scenarios and false data to verify the claim. Even if he did admit to being with Usagi, they wouldn't simply accept that truthful information, especially considering his history when it came to associations. Or if they did believe him, they would immediately bring her into the case and accuse her of joint conspiracy or whatever plot they had concocted in their seemingly brilliant minds. Either way, he had to be careful. It was best to tell truths piece by piece and see how it played out.

"I was simply out."

"Your mother has informed us that you gave her misleading information. According to her, you stated that you were going to deliver a scroll and then had some duties to fulfill afterwards. Now the first part of your story checks out as we have confirmed it with the Hokage; however we all know the last part to be a false claim. Your work with Anbu was recently suspended to attend to domestic affairs thus rendering you incapable of completing said task. What do you say in your defense?"

"I told her I had duties to fulfill. I never said they were official."

"Then what duties did you have to fulfill? What were you doing last night that required your attention for so long?"

He remained stoic, thinking of countless ways to answer his question, but in the end he decided it was probably best to just go with the truth. Usagi had been a secret long enough and despite his attempts to keep her out of harm's way, he managed to get himself caught up in such an elaborately orchestrated quandary. It was rather bothersome.

"I was…with a friend."

"A friend? I see. Now is this a business prospect?"

"A personal one."

"I see. Well the truth of the matter is we have evidence that suggests otherwise."

Itachi braced himself for the next part of the interrogation. The evidence Yashiro was suggesting was false, naturally. It was all a ploy for the coercion. They used it many a times in Anbu on criminals who they suspected were involved in several undercover operations but had no shred of evidence to plant on them. The false claim of evidence would eventually disrupt the culprit's usual demeanor and completely throw him in disarray. And when he saw Inabi closing in on him while Yashiro took steps back out of the spotlight, he knew that it was also time for the sweet talk to end.

"Look, let's just cut the bullshit and get straight to the point. It's what you like best, isn't it? We've given you several liberties in order to appease to your good nature when we could have easily used our own bloodline against you. In fact, I see no harm in a little mental torture. You're obviously up to no good and if making you writhe in fucking pain is what'll get the job done then shit, so be it. So I'll ask you again, what the hell were you really doing?"

"As I stated before, I was with a friend." He spoke calmly and remained so even as he anticipated the blow that eventually landed on his left jaw. He heard a gasp, one he instantly recognized as his mother. But he didn't have time to ponder more about it as he was lifted by his collar to be in direct eye contact with Inabi.

"You can lie to anyone else in this room, but not me. I see you for what you really are. Damn pathetic excuse for a man. Lying to your officers, to your superiors, hell even your own fucking mother."

"I didn't lie. I _was_ with a friend."

"You disappear without warning after your missions."

"I like to train on my own."

Inabi's grip tightened. "You conveniently forget to inform your family of your whereabouts."

"I have a right to privacy."

His nostrils flared. "You've been spending more time away from the district during your disappearances."

"I have a life outside this clan as well."

"And what's more is that you have no alibi to testify to any of your claims."

He was shoved roughly back into his chair, regaining his balance on it soon after. His eyes followed Inabi who was walking away and he knew then Yashiro would return to play out his part once again.

"Itachi, there are two simple paths to choose from. One you can tell us the truth and lessen your punishment or two you can continue your lie and ensure incarceration. We simply want to help you in making the right decision. It's not too late to work with us, Itachi. We're here for you. We just want to help."

Another trap. The cruelest one in the book. Both were once again lies and would lead the victim nowhere except straight to prison. It was just another cheap trick to lower their guard and make them believe that these people were genuinely on their side. Most victims that made it this far would easily fall prey and confess, hoping to lessen their term in prison. After confessing, they would be arrested and immediately evicted from the room, having only one destination ready for them.

"So we ask you again, Itachi. Where were you last night? What were you doing? Don't be afraid; tell us the truth."

His brain began to process more information, coming up with more routes to steer the conversation. Delivering the truth had gotten him nowhere but further into the interrogation and giving in to false crimes would only earn him time behind bars. There had to be a safe way out, some type of plan to get him out of this predicament. But what Inabi said earlier was true. Usagi was his only alibi, and without her, his case would get nowhere. Furthermore, they needed proof they congregated the previous night which would actually work if the Inuzuka clan got involved. But it would be an automatic no since the Uchiha would dismiss other clans getting involved. It would make them look vulnerable that they had such a problem occurring in their clan. There had to be some way to maneuver. A trump card.

There just had to be.

* * *

As soon as she entered, she knew that whatever was transpiring in the building was not welcome to outsiders. Several officers were crowded around desks, whispering secrets while gazing to a shadowed corridor far off in the distance. Something was going on pertaining to Itachi, of that she was certain. And it was also possible that the repercussions would be severe. Thinking of the severity of the situation as well as her ties to his current dilemma only fueled her uneasiness. Perhaps instead of turning in the jacket, she could use it as evidence to help his case. But how she would go about it was a different story. Just getting through the doors was a difficult task as she was shooed away by the officers standing guard, insisting she return at a later time. It was that gesture that alerted her that something troubling was occurring inside. And thus it took every skill she acquired to infiltrate the base. Haruka's team was specifically trained in the art of espionage; it was their design. And so with skills of a crafty ninja, she began to move her way into the station, avoiding any Uchiha men catching her movements.

The front of the building was rather simple to infiltrate; the few people that were waiting behind the glass entrance were busy filing away papers and whispering gossip. She used that to her full advantage and snuck between a bulletin and makeshift wall. As she peeked over the bulletin, she planned out her next move. The first path was the quickest but filled with less people while the other path took more time and contained more officers. Either way was unappealing as the empty path would immediately gain her attention from her sudden movements and the latter would simply garner attention from the people loitering about. She glanced up around the ceiling; it too would attract attention as it offered no cover. Her eyes scanned more of the area and eventually found a split between the wall and the circulation vents. The space between the two was a tight fit but she was sure if she lay flat, she could squeeze her body in between them. Furthermore, many officers adorned the layouts of their offices with tall plants and other props; she could easily hide behind their cover.

As soon as Usagi was sure no one was looking, she wrapped the jacket around her waist and used her speed and chakra to latch onto the wall and slip into the space. While laying completely flat, she grabbed a hold of the vent and began to slide her body forward, carefully stopping when people walked by and continuing as soon as they left. She eventually managed to guide herself closer and closer to her desired destination. This was the next difficult part of the plan. Two officers were standing at the entrance of the corridor, guarding. There was a path on the wall she could easily walk on which would land her right behind them. After that, it would be a matter of speed in order to get her further down the corridor. But it would be pointless if the guards were on full alert. She sighed, thinking of a way to cause even a split second of distraction for the men. It was all she really needed as she was sure her speed would be enough for that time. Looking behind the path she took, she noticed the plants she passed by on the way. They would have to do.

She gathered a small amount of chakra and knew she had to be quick about it as it would raise awareness for the officers. In one quick motion she sent a small gust of wind down the vent's path which in turn caused a few plants to fall over. Her ears picked up the sounds of glass crashing and officers yelling over the commotion. She cringed and thought of the damage she would have to pay for later but quickly shook the idea out in order to focus. The deed had fulfilled its purpose as the two guards momentarily averted their gaze over to the disruption. Usagi seized the opportunity and followed the path she laid out earlier, careful to avoid being seen. At the moment she landed behind the two she immediately jumped out of the way and sped down the hall to hide between a few ledges in the wall. She turned back to look at the officers who must have sensed a presence. After finding nothing out of the ordinary, they went about their previous business of guarding. She let out a breath of air and walked down the hall, immediately stopping and hiding as she looked around the corner. More officers were standing guard, specifically around one room. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were guarding. But now she faced another problem. Three officers in a row, lined up in a hall that had absolutely no way of hiding. If she wanted to go in, it would have to be an upfront assault.

"Now what do I do? There's no way to get past them without being seen first."

"I know. And it's a miracle you made it this far."

She refrained from screaming, instead simply straightening her back. Her skin began to turn pale as she felt a chill run down her back from those last whispered words in her ear. With great effort, she attempted to control her shaking and forced herself to turn around. And when she did, it became more of an effort not raise attention.

"Shisui, it's you."

"May I ask what you're doing here, Usagi?"

"Oh, um…I was…" she looked around and felt the article from earlier that was still wrapped around her waist. She quickly untied it and offered it for inspection. "I was simply…turning this into the lost and found."

"By sliding through the air vents?"

"Oh well…the guys in front were jerks and wouldn't let me in so I had to figure out some way. Then I just headed over to where I was told to go."

"Right. Well if that's the case then they pointed you in the wrong direction."

"What?"

"The lost and found is that way," he pointed to the other side of the building with his head, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Oh, um. Okay. But, hey what are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I was turning in a report when I noticed a suspicious character working her way into this part of the room."

She crossed her arms. "Oh yeah. Then why didn't you stop me earlier?"

"I was curious to see how far you could make it. I must say, I'm quite impressed with your skills. That, or our officers are surely losing their touch if they didn't even notice you. But I commend you on your ability to exploit such a weaknesses in our security system and building layout. Never would have thought of it myself."

"Oh well…"

"If the lost and found is all you're looking for then by all means, let me escort you there. In fact, I'll just make your task easier. Hand over the jacket to me, and I'll take care of it myself."

"Okay…" She began to comply when a sudden outburst from within the room caught her attention and she immediately glanced over down the hall. The commotion was enough to distract Shisui as he too averted his gaze. He was quick, however, to redirect his attention to her.

"Usagi, hurry up."

"Hey, Shisui. What's going on back there?"

"Hmm?"

"That yelling. What's going on?"

"It's confidential."

"But..."she sighed knowing he wouldn't reveal such covert operations. But when she heard a sigh escape him, she gazed up in bewilderment.

"There's an interrogation going. One of our clan members is currently being interrogated for alleged crimes."

"Crimes?"

"He was accused of engaging in criminal activities. According to the investigators, he's been working with other clans, possibly even other villages. Stealing information from us and offering it to them in exchange for some monetary reward. Several pieces of evidence have been compiled that solidifies this claim. Just last night, he was said to be missing. The entire night, gone with not so much a trace as where he was. It was suspicious enough to alert all the officers here."

"All night…" She whispered back the phrase and took a gulp before continuing. "Who is this person?"

"Usagi. I've told you enough as it is. Come on let's go."

"I only ask because…because you look so…distraught. As if this person means so much to you."

"That's not the point. Now let's go. I won't tell anyone you made it this far. It would be an insult to them anyway."

"It's Itachi, isn't it?"

Shisui's eyebrows rose at her bold statement. "How would you know that?"

"Well just yesterday you were talking about a friend that was close enough to you to call brother. And judging by how much this is affecting you, I would say that the person behind those doors is in fact that friend."

"Affecting _me_?"

"Yes, I can tell by how you're avoiding the situation and trying to rush me out of here."

"Clever girl. And yes, if you must know it is Itachi."

"I see. So what's going to happen to him now?"

"Well, as of right now, he is being interrogated to force the truth out of him. When that happens, his punishment will follow suit."

"Punishment? What do you mean, punishment? What would they do to him?"

"It's hard to say for sure but if Itachi is in this deep, it won't be good. The Uchiha are a strict clan and will not tolerate traitors. If he is giving information to foreign shinobi about our clan's secrets, the outcome will not be pleasant for him. Torture to find out what information he gave away and then ultimately…death."

Her heart skipped a beat at that thought and she forcibly gulped. "D-death?" She whispered, her skin taking on a paler hue.

"Well, yeah. They have to; you don't think they'd let him escape back into their territory do you? No. They'll hang him for sure."

"Hang?" she squeaked.

"Yes, if they're merciful they'll behead him. But Uchiha are pretty ruthless with traitors. And for such an act of treason, he won't receive an honorable death. No, it's definitely to the gallows with him."

She was in a complete frenzy now. "You have to do something!" she began whispering harshly, forgetting completely that it could draw attention to them.

"Me? Do what?"

"If he's any bit of a friend you claim him to be, you should believe in his innocence from those accusations! You should know deep inside that he wouldn't commit those crimes."

"But that's just the thing, Usagi. I _don't_ know. And even I have to admit that his actions as of recently have been very shady."

"What do you mean?"

"He leaves out on missions but doesn't come back for long periods of time. He goes missing and doesn't bother to inform his family where he's going or where he's been. He doesn't communicate with his parents that well and even lies to hide where he's been. We've caught him a few times as is the problem today. He also disappears at any short notice, beyond his act of duties. Last night, he left the household and didn't bother to tell anyone where he was going. He said he had Anbu duty but we all know that wasn't the case. He's on leave from them at the moment. Yep. It's looking pretty dismal for him at the moment."

"But…" She wanted to tell him everything. Tell him the truth and that perhaps at least a quarter of those moments he was missing was a result of them training in the past and hanging out in the present. It was true that Itachi insisted on this lifestyle but did that mean that she had to stay in the sidelines and watch her friend die? Knowing there was something she could have done to save him. No. Itachi had done enough to keep her safe in the past. It was about time she returned the favor.

"Shisui."

"Hmm?"

"I…there's something…"

"What? What's wrong Usagi?"

"You see…I…"

"Look, I didn't mean to tell you this upsetting news. It doesn't concern you so let's just go."

"I…"

He reached over and grabbed a hold of her shoulder, only to come short a few seconds later as she bolted for the door to the room. He hadn't counted on that.

"Hey! What are you doing back here?"

She tackled two officers who were caught completely by surprise. The third came in to grab her but she kicked off the wall to her right and completely bypassed him. After a few more steps, she made it to the door, hearing the other officers yelling at her to cease while Shisui insisted he would stop her himself. She continued on despite their threatening voices. Itachi had to be clear of this trouble; they had a right to know the truth. She would go in there, tell the story and relieve Itachi of his horrible fate. It was all planned out well in her head. What she hadn't counted on was her lack of grace in dire situations, nor the jacket sleeve that was dangling too low to the ground.

"Stop right ther-uahh!" It all happened quickly. Her foot caught on to that piece of garment first, she lost her footing soon after and eventually began to flail her arms in an attempt to maintain her balance. She grabbed onto the first person she saw for support but leaned too heavily and had him sprawled on the floor for her efforts. She began hopping on her left leg to regain control but ended up bumping into another officer who fell over instantly. As she flailed about more, a leg on the floor caused her to dive in head first. And in just three seconds, her body began to somersault into a spin, taking down a row of Uchiha officers with her. Her screams echoed in the room, the grunts of men following suit.

"Oww." She grabbed her head in order to soothe the aching feeling that was beginning to spread from her temple down to her neck and collarbone. When her feet regained the ability, she began to stand up. However, her attempt was immediately thwarted and quite suddenly, the air in her lungs was cut off from its oxygen source as a firm hand had pinned her body roughly down to the ground by her neck.

"Who the hell are you?" She heard the officer yell and wanted desperately to respond but found she honestly couldn't with his hold and she pondered at whether or not he even realized his own strength. She couldn't even feel where he was holding anymore. Her legs began to kick violently as her vision became more and more of a blurred picture.

"What are you doing here?"

In a fight for survival, fair play was tossed aside. All she could think about was getting loose enough to escape and catch her breath. So she didn't think twice when she lifted her leg, brought it close to her body and immediately kicked the man in an area she knew would take some time to recover.

A hand made its way to her again and she immediately dodged out of the way of another hold. When she settled some distance, she acknowledged the men she had collided with who were already on their feet. They positioned themselves around her to cut off her maneuverability and any planned escape. She stood completely still, making sure not to make any sudden movements that could trigger an offensive response. And she realized with great uneasiness how serious the situation had become when most men present began to glare back with crimson eyes and dangerous intent.

One of the officers approached her carefully. The wooden cane he was holding hit the tiled floor with a loud clanking sound each step he made. "If you're smart, you'll state your purpose without delay."

She blinked several times to readjust to the darkness. Once the room didn't contain a blur of shadows, she began to assess everything around her. To her left were a couple of people she had seen in passing before, officers obviously. Right next to them were two people she immediately labeled as Itachi's parents and several feet in front of them were more officers, forming a visible circle around their prisoner. Itachi was seated on a chair with a seal underneath it, bound by some peculiar sets of handcuffs. He was looking dead at her, eyes unreadable, posture flawlessly still, but she could tell he was extremely apprehensive to her presence in the room.

"Well?"

She turned to stare at the elderly man. "I…um…"

"Sometime today, girl."

She inhaled a breath before straightening her posture in order to regain some confidence. Once she was certain her voice wouldn't release squeals, she began to speak evenly and clearly. "I came because of this man."

All eyebrows were raised now. Some in alarm and others in disbelief.

"You're here because of Itachi?"

Her assaulter immediately cut in. "Are you some type of accomplice in his crimes?"

"No! Nothing like that! I just came to tell you the truth about him. Itachi is innocent! I swear!"

The man showed no amusement. But her attention wasn't on him; rather, it was on the elderly man. She had no real knowledge of how clans worked as she wasn't a part of one herself nor did she gain any insight from her friends as she was hardly invited to their clan functions. But one look at this man, just a feel of his aura and she knew he was the type of person that commanded respect, especially with how the others were waiting patiently for his cue. And looking into his eyes, she knew that this man could save Itachi. The judgment would be all on him.

"And how would you know that, girl?"

It was now or never. She gulped one last time and shakily opened her mouth to speak. Her heart continued to beat wildly but she steadied her voice in order to get the words out in one go.

"Because Itachi was with me all last night."

It suddenly felt as though even the air through the vents had been hung in suspension. She glanced around the room to gauge their reactions. Several officers stared blankly back at her. A few others actually had their mouths halfway open in awe. To her right, the man from earlier had even faltered back a few steps. She carefully looked to her left and noticed that Itachi's parents were frozen in astonishment from the revelation. And when she turned to look at Itachi, was disappointed to see that his face was completely hidden as he was avoiding her gaze completely.

"You really expect us to believe that bull? Maybe you're not an accomplice but how do we know you're not trying to save his ass by coming up with such a farfetched fabrication? What proof do you have of this?"

She snapped her neck in order to look at the man she attacked earlier. He was glaring now and his posture appeared ready to come at her again. She took her own defensive stance as well and the others must have sensed the oncoming confrontation as they began to calm the man down.

"Inabi, let her continue!"

"There's no proof other than her word! How are we…"

"What's that?"

The argument ceased as the only other female presence aside from Usagi spoke up. The soft voice was a stark contrast to the rough male voices and was thus immediately recognized. In response to her question, they all turned to look at the object to which she was currently pointing. One of the officers immediately went over to retrieve it for her.

"This is my son's jacket."

Yashiro immediately stepped forward at her statement. "Mikoto-san, are you sure?"

"There's no doubt about it. This right here…" she let her finger point to a small patched area. From afar it blended with the shirt but upon closer inspection one could see how different the threaded patch in that area was to its surroundings—in both color and stitching. "…is where I patched up a missing piece from his shirt. And over here…" she pointed to a very faint stain which was barely noticeable in the darkness "…is where Sasuke spilled some juice on him. Furthermore, the size and dimensions fit my son perfectly. I'm positive it belongs to him."

"But…it….Captain!" Inabi yelled in frustration.

Fugaku was beyond awed by it all. He switched his gaze from Inabi, to Itachi, to the girl and right back. Unsure of what to do.

"The girl is telling the truth, Captain."

He walked into the room casually, heading straight over to Usagi. The attention he gained was immediate and all officers were now awaiting for him to continue.

"That is in fact Itachi's jacket as even Mikoto-san has verified it herself. This girl here brought it over in order to use it in conjunction with his alibi. I have been monitoring Itachi as requested so I can attest to this proclamation. Last night, he was in fact on a simple outing after delivering his scroll to the Hokage. I was on patrol last night when I came across Itachi walking in the streets. After which he retired for the night at this girl's living quarters. Everything she is telling you is truthful. Itachi really is innocent of these crimes, Oyaji."

Usagi frowned. She should have expected there was a reason he was suddenly so interested in knowing about her. Which also confirmed her suspicions of there being domestic disputes that Itachi was experiencing. It explained everything—his sudden skittish behavior, his withdrawal from explaining anything to her and his exasperation with his family. She would have to confront Itachi about it later for further details. For now, the case at hand was much more significant. And regardless of how Shisui conducted everything in secrecy, she was thankful that this matter would finally be put to rest.

The elderly man cleared his throat to regain his audience. "Well, this is an unexpected turn of events. Itachi, do you concur with this girl's statements?"

It was his turn now to have an audience. He avoided everyone's gaze, not knowing how to handle the officers, angry at Shisui, upset with Usagi and completely horrified by his mother whom he knew would throw a fit as soon as he went home. "Yes."

"Very well. The only thing left is to confirm these accounts. You two, take these kids into different rooms so we can begin separate interrogations. Shisui, report to my office and Fugaku, you and Mikoto please wait in the lobby. If the stories match up, they'll be free to go. In the meantime, no one is to leave this building. Understood?"

"Yes sir," they all replied in unison. And the two aforementioned officers immediately began to lead Usagi and the now untied Itachi into separate rooms.

"Let's go wait in the lobby."

After placing a hand on his wife's back, Fugaku ushered her into the lobby area. He stopped by a few machines along the way, grabbing some loose change from a vest pocket and retrieving a few items. It had not been too long of a morning but because of the events, he and his wife left the house without a proper breakfast. Admittedly, his stomach was beginning to protest at the lack of nutrients. While a bag of chips was not what he would consider nutritious, he knew it would be enough for the moment. He handed his wife a similar item and the two sat down in the lobby, consuming their goods in silence for quite some time.

Fugaku leaned back and stared up into the ceiling. The events that just transpired had left him entirely confused and he anxiously anticipated seeing Shisui's full report on the matter. He wasn't quite sure to believe it all and it happened rather fast that his mind had yet to process all the information that had just been thrown at him. Itachi was apparently innocent. Well, innocent from the previous accusations. And he was not engaging in any illicit activities, at least none that would earn him time in prison. He just couldn't believe it actually all revolved around a woman. Fugaku let out a loud sigh. And sensing the oncoming words, he immediately shushed his wife.

"Mikoto, don't…"

"I…was…right," with each word, she poked at his shoulder.

"Mikoto."

"Itachi is in a conspiracy. Itachi is up to no good. Itachi is leaking information to neighboring villages. And does anyone listen to _my_ ideas? No. Heavens no. Mikoto is a woman. Mikoto doesn't know how to handle a situation. Mikoto is creating fantasies…"

"Enough. Fine. You were correct. I apologize."

"Oh don't apologize to me. I believe you and the entire team owe that to Itachi. You have put your son through quite a hell. I expect you all to apologize formally to the boy. "

"Fair enough. I'll talk to the boy and apologize to him as soon as I get the opportunity. Now will you cease this conversation?"

"Okay." She smiled and giddily latched herself onto his arms. "So, what did you think?"

"I'm beyond perplexed."

She flicked her fingers at his forehead. "I meant about the girl."

"Well, she looks familiar."

"You aggravating man! I meant physically!"

"Excuse me?"

"Well I'm not saying you have to check her out. But don't you think she's a little different of what you'd expect your son to have for a girlfriend?"

He sighed. His wife was always engaging in such frivolous talks. But the more he gave it thought, the more he had to agree. It was true that Itachi never showed interest in women but he suspected that he would eventually grow out of it like most people did. And when he did grow out of it, that he would find a suitable woman from his clan. His current choice left him thoroughly dumbfounded. It was not in his character at all.

"I never would have expected Itachi to be attracted to blondes. I mean, I guess I was like you. I always pictured he would marry someone from the clan. But well, our son never ceases to amaze us. We don't know much about this girl but from what I've seen, her character is far too much a contrast from Itachi's."

"Mm."

"Oh what a situation we have on our hands. I can only imagine how this will heavily impact our clan's future."

"Yes. I can't even begin to fathom how it will affect his role as future patriarch. If it had been someone from the clan, it would be easy enough to tackle the issue as there would be no secrets to hide. But I don't think I care too much for outsiders having so much knowledge and insight. I find it a liability to the security needed to sustain this establishment."

"No, no, no! I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about the offspring!"

"Offspring?"

"Yes. If those two procreate, we will now have new recessive genes circulating in the Uchiha clan. I can't even begin to imagine what blonde Uchiha will look like! Oh, but wouldn't it be cute? Long, luscious blonde hair. Or maybe even cute and short. Like if Sasuke had blonde hair! And do you think she'll pass on the alleles for her blue eyes as well? I mean, me personally I would love to see an Uchiha with blue eyes. There's just something about blue that has me so fascinated. It has a very inexplicable, foreign appeal to it. Oh, and if they developed the sharingan wouldn't it look so adorable to see them switch between those two colors? Blue then red. Red then blue. Ah! I think I hit cuteness overload, Fugaku."

He blinked blankly before completely turning his attention away. "I really need to seek therapy for you."

"Oh come on." She pulled again at his arm. "Don't tell me you haven't given it thought?"

"A discussion for another day, Mikoto. I hardly think grandchildren lie in our immediate future."

"Well maybe not now, but it's definitely a possibility. You heard her; they spent the entire night together. So at the very least, it's safe to assume our son has a healthy sex drive. Which also means we needn't worry about him as our son will acquire a legacy and pass on his genes to the future generations."

He released a heavy breath of air, not responding at all to her comments. How many times did he have to tell her that their son was not a wild animal?

She shook him in irritation. "Say something, will you?"

"What do you want me to say, Mikoto?"

"I don't know. Like what do you make of all this?"

"Honestly, I haven't a clue. And I'm not quite sure where to go from here. So let's drop the subject."

"Oh, all right." She sulked and fell back into her chair, throwing his arm away in irritation to his lack of interaction with her. "Well, for now, I suppose we can wait on those two to return."

It was fate in her eyes for as soon as the words escaped her mouth, she heard a door click open and some officers delivering instructions. She was eager to talk to her son about the whole ordeal. The boy had plenty of explaining to do. But when the figures rounded the corner, her smile grew even wider. Perhaps this was a much more opportune situation.

"You know…I suddenly became very thirsty. It must have been those chips. I think I will fetch a drink from those machines."

"Here, let me get it for you."

She pushed him gently back to the seat. "Oh, no. You stay right there. It isn't a bother at all."

"Very well." Fugaku reached into his pocket and dropped a few coins into his wife's hands. As soon as he did, however, he caught a glimpse of some people past the lobby and frowned. "Mikoto, no."

"What's wrong dear?"

"I know what you're planning to do. Don't."

"I assure you, I haven't the slightest clue to what you are referring."

"You know very well what I'm talking about. You're going to—"

"Fugaku. Please come here for a minute. I need to go over some things with you."

Mikoto smiled victoriously. "See, honey. Duty calls." She pulled the change away from him completely and offered a small peck on his nose. "Off you go."

He muttered instructions she chose to ignore as she walked right past him and the other officers to the other side of the lobby where her current target was situated quietly on a chair. After slipping some coins in the machine, she retrieved two items and walked casually back to the empty seat right beside the girl.

"Thirsty?"

She was startled at the sudden intrusion into her daydreaming and glanced up only to be alarmed again.

"Care for a drink?"

"Oh, um. Sure." Usagi tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before accepting the offer.

"Quite a day it's been. And only still morning."

Usagi slurped her drink, gnawing a little at the bottle's edge as she replied shyly. "Yeah."

"I'm Mikoto, by the way." She smiled at the girl. And now that she was up close, she realized just how vivid a blue her eyes were. They were a dark blue blended into a lighter hue the further they got from the pupil. And she marveled at her golden hair, shiny long and very well kept. While her skin was a healthy, creamy color, it appeared only mildly smooth and she could tell from her hands that this girl had her fair share of battles. All in all, she didn't know what quite to make of her. But intrigued she was nonetheless.

"You're Itachi's mother, aren't you?"

"Why, yes I am. That's my baby boy."

She giggled at the statement, thankful for her humor to break the ice. "I'm Tsukino Usagi."

"Usagi?" How intriguing.

"Yes, that's correct. And it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Why, thank you. But you will have to forgive me and my memory. I don't recall the surname being familiar."

"Oh, well…I'm not from any kind of clan or anything special like that, if that's what you mean."

How intriguing of a choice indeed.

"So tell me, Usagi, if you don't mind me calling you that…"

"No, it's fine."

"Well I was just wondering…was my son ever going to introduce you to the family? You see, you should know that our clan is not keen on having secrets kept from us."

"I do apologize! But I couldn't…say anything. I mean, Itachi…"

"I see."

She sighed. "I really am sorry. But he made me promise not to mention it to anyone. Actually, not even _my_ friends know."

"That boy. I'll make sure he gets a talking or two."

"Is he really that much in trouble?"

"Well, I suppose not as much as he could have been. And I know Itachi might be upset with you for breaking your promise to him but the boy shouldn't have forced you into such a precarious situation to begin with. I apologize on his behalf. And believe me; you couldn't have come at a sooner moment. Thank you, for helping my son."

When Mikoto reached over to hug her, she wasn't quite sure what to do. Following the routine she would do with any one of her friends, she simply held her back and rested her head on her shoulder. In doing so, she felt the warmth radiating from her body and wondered if the feeling was what having a family was like. Was what having a mother was like. And she smiled at the opportunity to experience it at least once in her life.

"You're welcome."

* * *

He poured a glass of water into two cups, taking one for himself and handing one over to his companion. "So this is what you were preoccupied with? I have to admit, I never saw it coming."

Itachi accepted the water and drank it slowly, watching the old man's movements carefully.

"I guess if I was in your position I would not have hastily brought the girl into the Uchiha world either. You have a lot to think about by doing it. And on top of that, a man of your reputation would obviously want less attention drawn to himself. What I'm trying to say is, what you've done is completely reasonable. But I hope you understand how much trouble all this secrecy has created and the repercussions that you could have been dealt. What would you have done if the girl didn't testify for you?"

"It would have all worked out regardless. Especially when considering I was innocent of those crimes to begin with."

"Yes, quite possibly. And on top of that, I'm sure you realized the traps we set up for you. The seal in the room being the obvious one."

"Yes."

"It was a weak seal, more of a pseudo one actually. I used it to gauge your reaction to it. Would you activate your sharingan and manipulate the interrogation, kill us all or exploit it by running away? The handcuffs were there as well for that reason. They barely restricted any chakra from you. No, in fact, most of the restrictions were made by you. I was actually ready to dismiss the entire interrogation until that girl made her entrance. A rather amusing display and impeccable timing on her part I might add. You have a peculiar choice of women."

"Hm."

"So, how long have you known her?" He grabbed the pitcher of water and began to pour more into his own glass before taking a few drinks from it.

"A couple years, give or take."

His face showed he was mildly impressed. "You kept her a secret that long. You're even better than I thought. I see all that time as an Anbu captain wasn't for naught. So tell me, did you have any plans at all to introduce her to your world?"

"No."

"Then you were ready to keep her a secret for your entire life provided you could get away with it?"

"Yes."

He took another swig. "And she was okay with this arrangement?"

"I made it clear when we first met. She never protested against it."

"No. Which is quite surprising because any other woman in that situation would have eventually forsaken the strangled relationship. She must either be a loyal character or completely enthralled by your fortune and utilizing you for your future position in this clan."

"It's not like that."

"Oh?"

"Not exactly. She didn't even know who I really was when we first met. Not entirely."

"I see. Look, Itachi, you are entitled to a personal life outside the stringent boundaries of this family."

He was taken back a bit by this sudden statement.

"It is not in anyone's position to deprive you of such a thing. But it's also important that you are more open about certain aspects of your life. It's one thing to keep secrets, another to dodge questions or warp the truth. It isn't in your nature to engage openly in conversations, never has been. But at the very least, keep in touch with your immediate family. A simple "I'm seeing someone" may have sufficed. In the end, I'm sure even your mother would have understood your need for privacy. Instead you led them on a wild hunt which got us nowhere. You could have easily been incarcerated for this regardless of your innocence. So I simply ask that you make an attempt to communicate more with your family. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"I do believe a formal apology is due. I will make sure my officers approach you personally and your father as well. On behalf of the police force, I would like to extend my sincerest apology for the events that occurred today. I'm sure both your stories will be fairly similar so I can say with confidence that you will be released soon. Go into the lobby and wait for further instructions. I need to examine some of this and file it away for records to close the case. You're dismissed for the moment."

"Ah."

He walked away in relief that the matter was almost settled. His mind began a countdown and he knew that if he could just get through this day, a large burden would be eliminated. What exactly would happen from this point on in regards to Usagi would be highly dependent on his family's reaction to her. He suspected his mother would adjust to everything well. His father was another story. As was the people in the Uchiha clan.

He took a deep breath and walked down the corridor, heading straight for the lobby. Along the way several officers immediately began to take notice, stealing glances at him. To his right a couple of men held up files to obscure their faces, whispering something that brought about a sudden sense of humor between them. To his left he noticed another officer going back to writing on his desk after offering him a barely masked smirk. His ears picked up another group gossiping; one man asking for confirmation of the situation, another assuring him that the rumor was true, the third informing them the current location of his companion within the building.

Itachi grimaced when he realized several officers were making excuses to walk through the lobby, most likely getting a glimpse of Usagi. As he continued past most of the offices, one officer actually gave him a jab on his side accompanied with a suggestive smile, his coworker making a snide remark about his libido. And it was at that last comment that he realized the reputation he had built in the last ten years was consequently shattered in one morning by a single statement. No, after today everyone would look upon him as they did Shisui, a sexual deviant. It was demeaning.

"You're welcome."

His ears perked at the voice, knowing instantly Usagi was speaking with someone. He had a distinct feeling of who her companion was.

"Itachi?"

He heeded to his mother's call, walking over to the pair as they rose in his presence. His mother had sympathetic eyes for Usagi which was not the case for him. There was an impending storm brewing behind that fake smile and it was obvious from his mother's history of impatience that this scolding would not wait until they were situated safely within the walls of his own home. Her aura coordinated with this as Usagi was suddenly feeling uncomfortable standing between his mother and him.

"I'm going to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

There was no guarantee that if she stayed, his mother wouldn't have executed the next part of the conversation. Since he was young, she was never shy about reprimanding her children in public.

"Sit."

It was a non-negotiable command of which he immediately complied.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, young man. You lied to me on several occasions."

"I never lied to you."

"Twisting your words is just as every bit lying as stating false claims in my eyes. I asked you a straightforward question and I expected such an answer from you."

"There are no women involved in my life, not the way you're expecting anyway."

"And what do you consider her?"

"She's simply a friend."

"A friend? With benefits I presume?" She crossed her arms, completely in opposition at what her son was implying.

"Nothing of the sort."

"So then you're seeing her for much more than that?"

"Yes."

"Well then…"

"No. I mean, not that way."

"Uh, huh."

"We're not…"

"Oh please, Itachi. It's over. No need to lie about a situation that has already been clarified."

"But…"

"Enough, young man. Now tell me..." she leaned over and whispered. "How old is she?"

"About sixteen. But…"

Mikoto held a hand to her chest, releasing a breath of air. "Oh thank goodness!"

"What now?"

"Well, she appeared a bit too young to me so I was just making sure you weren't going to get into any more trouble."

"Look, you don't underst—"

"Okay now onto the next question. And answer me truthfully because I seriously need to know this. Are you two taking the proper precautions during your… _sessions_."

"Kaa-san."

"I want the truth, Itachi."

"I'm…we're not…"

"You're _not_?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I just meant that the two of us…"

"I don't need to know details, sweetie. I just want you to answer the question."

"I think you _need_ more details. And I've been trying to answer your question."

"Well then out with it. I'm listening."

"I know what you're thinking. But it's not at all like that. Whatever you're assuming transpired did not happen. So I repeat, we did not have…"

"Okay, the faking thing was cute in the beginning, now it's just plain irritating."

"I'm not faking anything."

"Tell me the truth."

"I am. You won't believe a damn thing I say!"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me, young man. I can raise my voice, draw attention and make a spectacle of this if you insist. I'm not above physically disciplining you in front of all these people."

Itachi heavily sighed away his frustration, wanting so desperately to follow the images he had often seen in caricatures that yanked away strands of hair at such exasperating situations. He criticized the act before but realized now it was a very fitting gesture.

"You know what? Okay, yes. Fine. You win. We've been seeing each other in secrecy, engaging in intimate acts, and yes, we're using protection. Does that satisfy you?"

"See? Now was that so hard, sweetie?"

"Much harder than you think aggravating woman," he trailed off, the words coming out as nothing more than angry mutters in his mother's ears.

Mikoto reached over to pull her son in a sideways embrace. "Now, now. There's no need to be embarrassed, Itachi. Sex is a wonderful and beautiful experience."

"Kaa-san, please…stop."

"Oh, what in the world are you going on about now?"

"Of the audience," he hissed the phrase as his eyes made a very subtle movement.

Mikoto followed Itachi's cue and looked around discreetly. Several officers were suddenly not so distant, easing closer to them and lending an unused ear to the environment. Some were hiding behind painfully obvious objects and doing poorly to conceal their entire bodies. Others were feigning work, glancing every once in a while at the interactions between the two of them.

"Oh, right. Well, it's nothing to be concerned about but yes," she cleared her throat. "…we'll continue this discussion when we get back home."

At the sudden break, the two glanced around the room. The officers formerly attentive at their discussion began to fake conversations and walk away casually as if nothing had occurred.

"Uh…I…"

They turned around to face Usagi who decided then to reenter the lobby.

"Oh Usagi, you're back. Wonderful timing. You see, I was just about to freshen up myself. I'll leave my son to you for now." She gave a wink before deserting the two.

Usagi sat down on the chair Mikoto once occupied, leaning heavily back in complete exhaustion.

"Is it illegal to kill your mother?"

She laughed nervously. "Well, it is greatly frowned upon."

"Hmm."

She grew uncomfortable at how tense he appeared. She expected that he must have gotten some type of lecture for keeping secrets from his mother but never imagined it would have left him in such a sour mood.

"What a morning, huh? I almost got killed on two occasions and you nearly got incarcerated. We make quite the team."

"Hm."

"Oh, but on the bright side at least you don't have to work in Anbu for a while!"

"Hm."

"And hey, looks like you might get a bit of vacation time. How ironic, huh? We were just talking about it…last…"

She frowned when he wasn't responding at all to her light talk. "Look, um, I'm so sorry about everything. And I'm sorry I went against your wishes. But I was genuinely worried once I found out about the situation.

"What were you even doing here?"

"I, well, I wanted to bring your jacket back."

"I would've come back for it eventually."

Her smile was not out of humor. "Yeah, I know. But…I was worried about you. I thought I could just make it an excuse to talk to you and bribe out information. But when I saw you and your parents, I decided to follow you and find out what the problem was. You looked…I don't know, like you were caught doing something wrong. Then after I found out the outcome that lay before you, I guess…I was just worried. You're my friend. I didn't want anything bad happening to you."

"I wasn't in any immediate danger."

"But the interrogation…"

"Was nothing more than a setup. I would have been cleared of any accusations if it progressed any further."

She stared dumbly. "Oh…"

He leaned back as well, scrunching his face when he noticed the group of officers carefully monitoring the interaction between them. And the more people he saw, the more curious he became about another detail.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"How did you even get past security, anyway?"

"Oh, that was easy. Through those hanging vents up there. I squeezed into the space between them and the wall."

His eyes followed the path they created, noticing several details along the trail. The location it stopped in, the obscurity created by the various objects along its path and a suspiciously broken pot of tall plants.

"Huh, clever."

"Yeah, Shisui said so too."

"Shisui?" He narrowed his eyes instantly.

"Yeah, he caught me afterwards but luckily didn't turn me in. He's the reason I decided to help you in the end. I was worried about the punishments you were going to get for the alleged crimes you were falsely committed for."

"Punishments?"

"He told me about the gallows and beheading. I got so freaked out, I completely ignored the fact that there were so many guards and just decided to dive in head first. I know, pretty reckless of me but, hey, I did manage to get pass security."

"Beheading? Gallows? They don't do away with criminals they don't have substantial evidence against. And where do you find gallows in Konoha?"

"But…but…he told me they had evidence! And that they were going to cut you up into pieces and chop your head off, and I think he said something about turning you into a weird science experiment unless that was the part I was making up in my head…"

"Lies."

"Lies? I don't get it. It doesn't make any sense. Why would he…oh." She suddenly caught on to the trap of which she was easily caught.

"Yes."

"That bastard!"

"I agree."

"Good morning, you two."

They both turned to glare at the newcomer.

"Oh, come on. Don't give me that look. You two brought this upon yourselves. So can I sit here?"

"No!"

He ignored their united negative replies and sat casually in the seat beside Itachi.

"It's your fault I'm in this mess."

"My fault? You were the mysterious one prancing around in obscurity using artifices to disguise your illicit dalliance."

"I missed a lot of that. Itachi, what does dalliance mean?"

"Not now, Usagi."

"Cute." He gave a small chuckle and leaned over to whisper in Itachi's ear. "So I take it you both lost your virginities together then?"

Itachi's ears burned subtly as he shoved Shisui away. "It's not like that."

"Oh really? Then I'll just ask Usagi."

"Go right ahead."

Shisui rested his elbow on his knee, bending forward and resting his chin on his hand as he turned his attention to Usagi. "So, Usagi. Tell me…what exactly did you and Itachi do last night?"

"We ate some food and talked."

Itachi smirked. "There, you see."

"And after that?"

"We went to my bedroom and played games."

Itachi stilled.

"Oh really?" He smiled mischievously at Itachi. "What kind of games?"

"The usual. Shougi, checkers."

"Ah, some of my favorite positions."

"Usagi…" Itachi warned.

"And did you enjoy your time?"

Usagi smiled. "Yep, Itachi did too but he won't admit it."

"Usagi…" he hissed.

"Well I'm glad your evening went by smoothly."

"Not really. Itachi was overexcited and couldn't focus half the time. And then after it was over, he just passed out. Kind of left me hanging."

He couldn't hold his laughter now.

"Enough, Shisui."

"One more thing I've been wanting to know. How would you rate Itachi: gentle or rough?"

The images of nearly being killed and tossed aside were still fresh in her memory and she pouted. "Definitely rough. I have a few bruises from last night to prove it."

"All right," Itachi immediately obscured Shisui's vision of Usagi, effectively interrupting the conversation. "That's enough."

He tried desperately to control his laughter. "Right, right. I get it."

"Shisui, I'd like to talk to you in _private_."

"If you insist. Well, Usagi, I'll see you around."

The two walked away, leaving Usagi momentarily alone. They walked past several people who had obviously witnessed the three of them interacting judging by their amused faces. Itachi frowned. Shisui was not helping the situation at all. He led his friend into another side of the building. Only after they reached a desolate corner in a vacant area did Itachi speak.

"It's not what you think."

"Believe me, I know."

"Do you, now?"

"Yeah, I kind of figured out from the beginning. I've had my fair share of experience in the matter, Itachi. I know the difference between a sexually active couple and a platonic friendship. I can also spot a virgin when I see one. I could easily recognize her innocence."

"Then what was that back there?"

"Simple teasing. I just love playing around with virgins. They make it too easy. That and it was priceless watching you squirm. I don't know why everyone thinks of you so serious when it's actually easy to get you excited. Or maybe it's just my personal gift. After all, I'm hitting you with the only arsenal that's hard for you to combat."

"You had your fun, now stop. This is serious. My mother thinks I'm currently in a sexual relationship with her."

"Did you tell her the truth?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She thought I was lying."

"So you told her a lie?"

"Yes."

"Which in turn, for her, was the truth?"

"Essentially."

"You guys make this too easy. I've reached a point that has surpassed amusement. Thank you for the wonderful entertainment and brilliant performance."

"I don't think it's funny."

"Come on, you have to admit this is all pretty hysterical. Everyone was running around thinking you were some kind of assassin ready to kill us all in a bloody genocide when in fact all you were doing was hanging out with some girl. I think it's pretty damn funny. A bit too dark for my normal taste, but the humor is still there."

"Hmm."

"One day we'll all look back and laugh at this. You'll see."

In some twisted way the entire chain of events was somewhat amusing. He smiled faintly.

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you hide her? If you guys are just friends, why keep it a secret?"

"It's hard to explain. There were so many factors to consider. When we first started off, it was simply to train. I knew that if I spared any time with her, teaching her, that it would immediately be scorned. So I told her to keep quiet. You know how the clan is about keeping our techniques a secret. On top of that, if I got distracted from my normal routine, my father would have been on my case from the start. Also…"

"Yeah?"

"I just…I just wanted something away from it all."

"Away from what?"

"The clan. I wanted a place I could go to that didn't have rigid rules, or paperwork or routines. With her, it was like a haven. A place far away from the clan, where I could…be me. And I guess, in the end…I just really liked hanging out with her. You know?"

"No. Not really. Aside from coworkers anf family, I've never had one-on-one time with a woman that didn't result in sex. You can think me crude, vulgar or whatever you want, but in the end, it's the same story with all men. Tell me, have you ever seen your father, Inabi, Yashiro, Tekka or anyone else associate casually with woman that weren't their lovers?"

"I suppose not."

"A group of guys and girls hanging out, certainly. Two guys in a group of girls, sure. Hell, even in a group of three. But just two? I'm not saying it can't be done. It's just unusual, that's all. Especially considering how long you two have probably known each other. It's just highly unprobable that two people of the opposite sex who shared so much private time together didn't develop some type of intimate relationship. But I guess you're a living testament, _if_ everything you're telling me is true."

"What are you saying?"

"Oh come on, Itachi. Don't tell me in the entire time you've known the girl that you never once had even a split second thought of doing indecent things with her."

"I…"

Shisui waved a finger at Itachi. "Ah, you hesitated."

"Well, I was deliberating the answer."

"No, you were having a mental flashback. You've thought about it before, haven't you?"

"Not by choice."

"Come again?"

"Blame it on my mother. I never once gave it thought until she brought it up. But the moment is past now. I was simply overanalyzing a few things."

"But the point is you had the thoughts, didn't you?"

He answered begrudgingly. "Yes, I gave it a fleeting thought. But that's all it was, fleeting."

"And it's perfectly normal. You've known her for quite some time now. It's only natural you two built up a chemistry. And I admit, the girl is very attractive. Hell, if she wasn't a virgin or already claimed, I'd probably have made a pass at her."

"She's not claimed."

"Yet."

"What's your point in all this?"

"Just simply nourishing my inquisitive nature. That, and I was wondering in what direction you plan to take this friendship. I mean, how long did you think it would last?"

"I don't plan on letting this progress if that's your implication."

"Yes, but I also meant when Usagi can no longer keep a personal friendship with you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, do you think Usagi's future boyfriend or husband is going to allow her to keep seeing another man in private?"

Shisui watched at his friend's reaction. That piece of information was something Itachi had obviously never given thought. He was now suddenly at a loss for words.

"What? Don't tell me you thought she was going to remain single her entire life."

"Well, I thought she was like me. I mean, she never made an effort to look for anyone."

"Maybe because she had you."

"She doesn't see me that way."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Or maybe she's also a late bloomer. But if not you, someone else."

"What do you mean?"

"I know her type. It won't be long until she gains a man's interest, or until she becomes interested herself. And then what? I mean, how would you feel about that? I guess what I'm getting at is, are you sure this is how you want this relationship to go? Because it can be more, Itachi. It all depends on how you feel. So if you think you could get serious with her, just give it a try. What could it hurt?"

"I'm fine with the way things are right now. As for that issue, I will come to terms with it when necessary. For the moment, just let things be, Shisui."

"You know, your mother is right. You can be exasperating at times."

"Speaking of my mother, we should get back. I see my father has returned as well and I'm not too thrilled with both of them pestering Usagi simultaneously."

"As you wish. I'll let this go for now."

They exited the empty office, walking quickly over to Usagi who was making an effort not to attract attention from any of the officers surrounding her.

"Shisui, I need to see you in my office. We have some work that needs to be completed and filed away. As for you Itachi, you and the girl are officially dismissed. And I expect you to escort your mother straight home."

Without offering more instructions, he immediately retired into his office, taking Shisui along with him.

"That man. Always business. Well, never mind him. Shall we get going home?"

"Ah."

As they exited the building, Usagi stepped away from the group. "If it's okay with both of you, I think I'll head back home. I have a few things I need to get done today for my team."

"Are you sure you don't want my son to escort you? I can make it back home by myself."

Usagi shook her head. "His father gave him specific orders to escort you back safely. I wouldn't want to put Itachi in another comprising situation by breaking that. I can make it back home just fine."

"Very well then, but oh Usagi?" She called out as Usagi made her first effort to exit.

"Yes?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"I do have an assignment, yes."

"Well are you free anytime this week?"

"Um, Saturday should be clear. Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing at all. I just simply wondered if you would like to come over to our house for lunch. I'd be delighted to have you as a guest so we can have some quality time together. And I'm sure my son would enjoy your company as well."

She turned to Itachi and pleaded for an answer from him. But he gave her none, letting the decision rest solely on her. "Well, sure. I can stop by. Is noon okay?"

"That would work out just fine."

"Do I need to bring anything?"

"Just your appetite, sweetie. I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay, I'll see you two then. Goodbye." She waved a farewell, starting a sprint to her house.

She smiled as she thought about everything. Perhaps Itachi was worried for nothing? So far, no one had particularly hated her. She did cause a riot but it was expected considering how unorthodox a disruption like the one she created during the interrogation was. The men were most likely taken by surprise than anything else. And his mother was especially kind and generous. She didn't seem at all bothered by her presence. But as she continued running, she realized that it wasn't all untrue. Itachi's concerns had some validity.

Usagi thought back to Itachi's father as he entered the room. They didn't have an opportunity to exchange so much as a word between the time he appeared and the time Itachi and Shisui returned. But she recalled the way his sharp eyes were focused on her for that brief moment, reading right through her as a sharingan would. It was a quick spell of intimidation and it would be inwardly deceitful if she believed even for a second that his father did not frighten her. While the other men she encountered that day had their own share of compelling gazes, it was nothing like his father. Painted with aggression, bordered with scrutiny and varnished with a touch of disdain. Winning her way into his good graces would not come easily.

If ever.

* * *

**End**

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Yes, shame on me. I took a little too long but in all fairness I did give everyone a fair warning about my lapse. Luckily some of my SasuSaku fics are done so I got right back on the HC train. I was so eager to get this up soon that I had my two betas work with me constantly the last week or so on it. Thank you two for everything. Hope you guys are still enjoying this story. I know this chapter made a lot of people go "WTF?" but in all honesty it's such an Uchiha thing for them to do-overreact to things like this. And after doing more research on police investigations and interrogations I realized that they also do the same thing. And true story, I did go into a Police Station, a few in fact, in order to understand the layout. When asked what I needed, I simply responded that I was trying to figure out a way to get to "that man's office" by breaching security. Luckily I also threw in I was writing a story since the cop wasn't too thrilled by my line of thinking. He immediately laughed and let me go about my observations.

**Chapter Notes**: Oh no! Everyone has figured out the truth? How will they cope with it? I don't know. We'll see. But I guarantee you that Mikoto is excited about this. Ohhoho. And now Itachi can fulfill his rumored role as the 'immortal sex god.' (And all credits go to Uncyclopedia for that coined phrase).

* * *

**Next Chapter:** Mikoto has invited Usagi over for some lunch and to spend some quality time with her. How will this all work out? I can't say much but one phrase comes to mind: Yellow rubber duckies. And that special meaning will not be revealed until the next chapter. So anticipate it!

Hope you still enjoyed-ed the story.

~_Icehaze_


	7. VI Concrete

**Disclaimer:** Do I own Sailormoon or Naruto? I cannot tell you; it's confidential. Anyway, how's your sex life? (Thanks to Haley and Chibi who showed me this monstrocity. Sigh)  
**Timeline:** Set somewhere between the events of Ocarina of Time and Takt of Wind, when Usagi and Itachi rescued a thousand LoLcats from the evil klutches of Dr. Gero. (Hmm, I smell a one-shot).  
**Warnings:** Adult-related things that teenagers nowadays are aware of anyway.  
**Author's Notes:** This chapter was meant to come out around August 16th but was pushed back another month due to complications from my betas. One moved, one started work and it became difficult to coordinate. Everything is okay now, though. And with all due respect, unlike some authors that wait a year to update and give you like ten pages, I give you roughly 60 pages of work. So in my defense, I did my best. Two months, sixty pages of leisure writing...yeah that's pretty good. I also have my own writing/editing job outside FF so it does get hard to do this. But I love this story so much I will stick with it if I can. Cheer me on!

* * *

**Concrete**

* * *

Her feet padded across the tatami flooring, desperate to move at a more rapid pace. There was still quite a heavy list of duties to fulfill. The food was presently in preparation, set in the oven for slow cooking. The vegetables were steaming away and the sound of a whistle caused her to advance more rapidly across the house, the kitchen set as a destination. After one quick sniff of the food and a taste test, she declared the vegetables done. But after quickly looking at the table and finding it barren and empty, she took off once again. Remembering the décor set aside in a spare room, she raced once more in order to retrieve her special vase and flowers. Her feet created more padding sounds until she reached the wooden flooring of one hallway. Her lack of footwear and cotton-made socks caused her to slide and land in a pile of old junk she kept in the room.

"Kaa-san?"

She lifted her head from the pile of mess and removed an old colander from her head.

"I'm okay!"

Her son had not come out from his present location to personally check on her, but she debated against causing drama over his lack of attentiveness to her well-being. The preparations were much more significant than such trivial matters. And it all required consideration to detail. Everything had to be perfect today: the food, the décor, the table setting and especially the people hosting the events.

Mikoto's eyes surveyed the reflection on the vanity mirror. She adjusted her collar to align perfectly on her neck; her apron was retied to keep it from falling off and her skirt received a thorough glide from her fingers in order to smooth out the faint wrinkles. She went over to the dresser to apply a small amount of foundation to give her face more color, and when she was satisfied with the touch-up her face received, she repeated the usual routines of infinite facial gestures to her mirror in order to find approval. After a few minutes, she was thoroughly satisfied with her work.

"There, perfect."

A whistling sound alerted her to the steam pot she had boiling on the stove and she found herself once again, running through the house.

"Oh, dear. Oh, dear." She immediately removed it from the flames and set it aside. Steam gushed out from the container as soon as she lifted the lid. A few stirs and a sample taste later, she announced another dish perfect. Her specialty cooking was no secret to the world. She had been gifted with natural skill for the culinary arts and studied extensively from her mother and grandmother. She took pride in it and the many people from the clan preferring to eat over at her house rather than visit an expensive restaurant further fanned that fire. Had she not had a family, she may have taken to such business endeavors.

"Let's see. Plates, cups, silverware, food…" she frowned as she realized that the table had not been set, and it was getting closer to the time company should be arriving. "Where is that poor excuse of a son?" she mumbled. "Itachi! Itachi! Where are you?" Setting the food aside to cool, she lifted the corners of her apron and took off on another sprint. As soon as she arrived at Itachi's room, she slid the door open without regard to his privacy and stepped in uninvited.

"Don't you ever announce your presence first?"

Ignoring his question, she inspected his entire ensemble, frowning and sharing a tsk of disapproval. "You're not wearing that, are you?"

"I have work soon. I'm leaving now."

"No, you're not."

"Kaa-san…"

"Your work does not begin for at least another hour, young man. In that time, you will sit down and enjoy the wonderful lunch your loving mother has prepared for you."

"And Usagi, I presume."

"Well that goes without saying. After all, this lunch is in her honor."

"Exactly. And instead of creating friction over the odd number of people attending, I have taken the liberty of being the sacrificial lamb in order to leave you two to bond and become acquainted with one another."

"Nice try. But you _will_ be attending this lunch. No exceptions."

Mikoto paid no regard to his grumbles and sighs. She marched over to his closet, pulled out several pieces of garments and laid them across the night stand by this futon. "The lunch won't take but an hour, tops. You can change back right after and get to work in plenty of time." She reached for a hunter green collared blouse, holding it up to her son and frowning as she placed it back in the closet. "Too military. Now, as I was saying, I want you to enjoy lunch with us. This is the first time you've invited a girl over. Isn't that, in itself, a special occasion? It's also all the more reason to represent this family well and dress nicely."

"_You_ invited her."

"Details, details. I'm just doing you a favor. I don't know whether you're too stupid or too shy to do it but your Kaa-san has taken the liberty to take the initiative."

"I resent that."

"You can thank me when you're married."

She went through several more shirts before settling on a buttoned up blouse so light in blue, it almost appeared white. "There, now this one will look quite handsome on you. And it should go with your black pants nicely. Put it on."

He sighed and obliged, removing his former gear and slipping into his mother's desired clothes.

"See? Very distinguished and refined. You have your father's shoulders. It makes you look more proportioned. And you know, women love men that look good in these clothes. I'm sure Usagi will appreciate it."

"Hmm."

"Now let's see about your hair…"

"My hair is fine."

"Sure it is sweetheart. But did you ever think about cutting it?"

"No."

"Okay, okay. We won't cut it. Then let's just get a little of these bangs out of your eyes, and oh you have a small smudge on your face." She licked her finger and smeared it on his cheek while adjusting the hair that fell across his face.

"This is highly unsanitary."

"Oh, hush up. You sound just like your brother. I'm your mother, any disease I have you will contract eventually. It's in our genetic code."

"Whatever."

"And cheer up will you? Women don't like sour men."

"What?"

"I mean smile more. Women don't like men that brood all the time. It frightens them off."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Quiet. Now then, let's see a smile. And smirking doesn't count."

"Kaa-san…"

"One smile Itachi," her hands reached out to stretch his face.

"Stop it," he managed to sputter in his contorted state before he swatted her efforts away.

"Don't be so pessimistic all the time. Just one little smile…"

"No."

"Smiling is natural Itachi."

"Smiling is a reaction. No one walks around with a perpetual smile."

"Must you be so technical with me? I just want you to look nice for Usagi…"

"Hello? Is anyone home?"

Mikoto sighed at her son's lack of enthusiasm and hindrance to her schedule. "Look at what you've done. She's already here and we still haven't prepared everything."

"What _you've_ done."

She pointed a sharp finger at her son. "_Best_ behavior. Now go to the kitchen and set the table up while I welcome her inside the house. Go on, off with you."

"Ah."

She walked quickly to the door, eager with excitement. After another quick look at her reflection in a nearby glass frame to ensure her teeth were clean and makeup fair, she slid open the door and offered her guest a smile.

"Irasshai, Usagi."

"O-oh, yes," she bowed along with Mikoto, unsure of the proper protocol of the situation. "I, um, brought some treats. I baked these cookies last night."

Mikoto grasped the bags of treats and held them close to her. "Why thank you sweetie. You didn't have to do that at all. Didn't I say I would take care of everything?"

"Yes, I mean. Well, I thought I should at least bring something."

"Thank you. They smell wonderful. Cinnamon I presume?"

"Yep, one of my favorites."

She squeezed Usagi's hand. "Mine too. Now come, my son is just preparing the table."

They walked into the kitchen to catch Itachi who already had the table set with dishes and was preparing to set the food in place.

"Wow, it looks really good."

"Why, thank you. I hope it tastes as good as it looks." Mikoto watched as an awkward exchange of eye contact occurred between the two. She smiled knowingly. "I'm going to toss this apron in the hamper and freshen up a bit. Itachi, will you finish setting things up in here?"

"Ah."

Mikoto's absence did not lessen Usagi's anxiety. Perhaps it was the fact that she was in unfamiliar territory, but she found that she could not ease her tension.

"So, um, how are you today?"

"Fine. You?"

"Great! And the food looks really good."

"My mother is an exceptionally good cook. I'm sure you'll enjoy her food."

"Yeah. Um…"

"What is it?" He carried the hot rice cooker over to the table, placing it in the center and aligning the dishes of vegetables and meat around their centerpiece.

She smiled softly. "Are you nervous? Having me around, I mean."

"Not particularly."

"Well, what if I told you _I_ was nervous?"

"Of what?"

"I don't know. I mean, this is the first time I'm hanging out with your family. I'm just a little nervous."

"If I told you my father is away at work, would that ease your worry?"

"A little. And how did you know your dad makes me nervous?"

"It was obvious from the other day. Did he say anything to you?"

"No."

"Did he _do_ anything to you?"

"No, nothing like that. And has he said anything about me to you?"

"My father rarely speaks openly about anything other than business. At least, not to me anyway."

"Oh."

"What's up?"

"Nothing, I just…I don't think he really likes me, Itachi."

"He doesn't like anyone, especially people outside the clan. Just stay out of his way and you'll be fine."

"Do I have to keep avoiding him all my life?"

"Only the part that includes me."

"Okay."

"Try not to think about it. It's more beneficial for me that you maintain a good demeanor. My mother has already lectured me about being somber. If she sees you upset, I'll get reprimanded. She'll think I made you cry."

Usagi responded with a sincere giggle. "Okay. I'll cheer up."

"Much better."

"Oh, so you'll smile with her but not with me?"

"Kaa-san…"

She ignored her son and walked over to the girl. "Usagi, you'll have to teach me how to do it sometime."

Remembering Itachi's words, Usagi gave her usual spunky attitude. "Well, it is a gift but I think I can teach you a thing or two."

"I would appreciate it." She clapped both hands together. "Now then, shall we eat?"

The three proceeded to sit at the kotatsu. Mikoto took one side to herself and allowed her son to sit by Usagi.

"Okay, you two, there's plenty of food so please don't be shy about portions. Help yourselves to everything."

Itachi reached over to the rice, filled up two bowls and handed one over to Usagi. He smirked at her current state. She was seated perfectly and properly like he was, albeit with a small wiggle to her feet. She was not used to family dinners. As far as he recalled, she was rarely invited into formal dining with other families, and the clans she mostly associated with did not carry the traditional eating rituals of the older clans such as the Uchiha. And whenever she ate at home, she was either suspended in a high chair, feet dangling, or she was seated in her bedroom floor, feet sprawled out in front of her. He suspected that even sitting in that position for any short period of time was a strain on her legs. And as soon as she began to resituate her feet, did he lean over to whisper.

"Do your feet hurt?"

"A little."

"Unfortunately, you'll have to bear with it a little while. My mother hates it when people don't sit properly at a table."

"I'll be fine."

"If they fall asleep, move them side to side. It should be enough until you get up."

"Okay."

"Now, what are you two whispering about over there?"

They both straightened themselves in a more dignified position.

"Oh nothing, Itachi was just…um,"

"I was just asking her if she wanted komatsuna."

"Yes, that's right. And I would love some, actually."

Mikoto smiled and popped a piece of food in her mouth, mistaking Usagi's current blush for something more. "Well, how do you like the soup?"

"It's delicious. I'll have to steal the recipe from you sometime."

She winked. "That can be arranged. After all, I expect you may want to improve your cooking skills before becoming a mother."

Usagi's face reddened significantly as she began choking on the soup that just entered her mouth. "Mi-Mikoto-san!"

"Oh, no need to be embarrassed, sweetheart." She glanced over at Itachi who was giving her many visible cues to kill the conversation. She sighed. Men never were ready to move on past the sexual part of the relationship. If only they would mature as quickly as women. "I was simply teasing you."

"Yes, well, um, as for children…"

"Yes?"

"Well um…I mean…"

"You want a family correct?"

"Oh well…yes. I do, actually."

Itachi slowed his eating, glancing down at his friend from the newfound knowledge. He had never asked her about anything relevant to the nature, and she never showed signs of wanting anything other than training to better her techniques. After discovering this new piece of personal information, he realized how much he didn't know the girl. Perhaps Shisui was right. Usagi would one day follow down that inevitable path.

"Do you, now?"

"I guess it would be nice to come home to someone every day, to have someone there for you when you need them. I mean, it doesn't have to be anything spectacular and I do enjoy time to myself, but I also like having company over or being in the presence of other people. I don't like being lonely all the time is what I'm trying to say."

"And a family would certainly satisfy that desire. So, how many children are you planning to have?"

"I, uh, never gave any thought to it. I thought I would just go with the flow."

"Well that's fine too, but surely you've thought about how to finance these children and secure their future."

"I'm not sure."

"You have to think about food, clothes, gear for their future work as ninja, equipment. But don't worry, when the time comes, I'll be here to help you."

"Oh well, thank you…I think."

"So, how far in the future are these children?"

"Well, um, I mean, I would like to do some work in my field as a jounin. So I definitely wouldn't think about it until I'm at least in my twenties and of course with a spouse."

Mikoto smiled while glancing over at Itachi whom she knew was purposely staring at his bowl. "Naturally. And I'm thrilled you're not waiting too long until you explore that pivotal moment of womanhood. Why, I remember when I was your age and…"

She smiled, nodding along to information as she leaned carefully over to Itachi. "This is embarrassing. Why does your mom want to know when I'll have kids?"

"Believe me, you don't want to know."

"What?"

"Just…go along with it for now."

"Is this how people in clans act all the time?"

"Sure."

"Okay." She redirected her attention to Mikoto after returning to her spot by the table.

"…and then a little after that, Sasuke was born. I will never quite forget those moments. The pains of child labor, the months of hardships I had to endure…they were all worth it when you think of the final product. I mean just look at Itachi. It's hard to believe this tall strapping young man came from my tiny little womb."

Itachi frowned. "Kaa-san."

Usagi stifled a few giggles. "It _is_ hard to imagine that this guy was just a tiny little baby."

"Yes, they grow up so fast. Just make sure not to wait too long if you want to have children. Your years will fly by faster than you can blink and before you know it, you'll be an Obaa-san like I will be soon."

"Aw, I don't think you're that old. You look very young to be a mother as it is."

"Why thank you. You really are quite the flatterer."

"And you don't have to worry about me. I'll make sure not to wait until I'm too old to have children."

"Wonderful news. I can hardly wait."

Itachi placed a few fingers on his forehead. It wasn't enough his mother already assumed too much of his relationship with Usagi, now she was expecting children from her within a certain timeframe. The world was an antagonistic entity before him.

"There is nothing quite like the gift of being a mother."

"So I see."

"I'm sure your mother would agree with me. Why, she must have had her fair share of stories for you."

Usagi stilled her eating. "Oh…well…"

"Say, why don't you invite her over for lunch sometime? Or maybe I can go see her at your home. I'm sure we have much to talk about!"

"Um, you see…I…"

Itachi watched as Usagi swallowed hard and place her utensils down gently. It never occurred to him to inform his mother of Usagi's predicament. When she asked for information about her prior to the lunch, she was only concerned with Usagi's eating preferences and dislikes. He had forgotten completely about informing her of personal information. He never had friends over she wasn't already familiar with and thus the process of introductions eluded him. He sighed. Another lecture would soon await him for withholding vital details of Usagi's life. His mother hated being caught in awkward predicaments.

"Is something wrong?" Mikoto glanced between her son's serious look and Usagi's sudden anxiety. "I'm sorry, are you and your parents not in good standing?"

"Kaa-san."

"What?"

"Enough."

"No, it's okay Itachi. I'll tell her."

"Tell me what?"

She released a small breath of air before placing her hands on the table. "Well, the thing is, I don't exactly have a family per se."

"I don't think I understand."

"My parents, they died long ago. I was just a baby then so I never got to know them."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She turned with a sharp glare over to her son. "_Itachi_, never informed me of it."

"It's okay. It was my place to tell you, anyway."

"I'm truly sorry sweetheart. Does it hurt to talk about them?"

His eyes fluttered to a close momentarily, accompanied by a tired sigh. "Kaa-san…"

"Well..."

"Is this perhaps better conversation for a more intimate occasion?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right."

They continued to feast, adjusting to the awkward silence following the previous comments. Mikoto was never comfortable with any amount of silence as the table was usually filled with chatter, even if it meant only _her_ chatter. She looked at Usagi who seemed extremely uncomfortable by the sudden change of atmosphere and even her son was not sure how to address the situation properly. It was at the picture of the two eating before her that a stroke of brilliance painted her mind.

"Usagi, I've been meaning to ask. How _did_ you ever come to meet my son?"

She swallowed her vegetables and contemplated the answer. Small pieces of information floated in her head and she tried desperately to recall the exact details of their first meeting.

"Um, I think it all started with…uh, no that's how I met Minako-chan. Maybe it was that time…no that's not right either." She turned over to Itachi. "Hey, how _do_ I know you?"

Itachi sighed into his chopsticks. "Chuunin exams."

"Oh yeah! I remember now." She faced Mikoto again, suddenly gaining a new enthusiasm and forgetting of her previous sorrow. "I was practicing for my chuunin exam but found myself unable to advance as fast as my teammates. Haruka-sensei was preparing Seijuro most of the time and Hotaru had her father to help her. I didn't have a family and the small amount of exercises I received from my captain weren't enough. Eventually I overheard some people talking about a person who could help me, so I went to find him. Your son helped me out a bit and the rest is history."

"That's very sweet. You know, I started seeing my husband sometime after my chuunin exam as well. I guess it just runs in the family."

Usagi raised an eyebrow. "Um, I guess."

"So tell me, how did your relationship with my son progress from there?"

"Relationship? Like how we became good friends?"

"Yes and how that further developed into what you two have become today."

"Become today? Well if you mean how close we are, it just turned out that way."

"Yes but how? I am curious as to what exactly transpired in that process."

"Well, I mean, we did a lot of training together. And that brought us closer, I guess."

"Training? But what about your intimacy? How did that develop? What happened after the training?"

"Intimacy?" Usagi made a few hand movements under the table, signaling to Itachi that she had no idea what his mother was getting at. Itachi mouthed a 'later' to her indicating that he would explain more detail at another time. She nodded subtly.

"In the beginning that's how it all started. We were mostly in it for the training."

Mikoto frowned. "Mostly in it for the training? I don't think I understand. How…" Her eyes darted between the two very quickly and then suddenly a sly smile appeared on her face. "Oh, I see now. So then, Usagi, tell me what happened after this training?" She lifted her hands to air quote the final word.

"Yes well…after our training," Usagi repeated Mikoto's gesture, "we began spending more time together and eventually came to a point where just talking and relaxing was good enough for us."

"Well I'm glad to see that you two understood the need for development and ignored your carnal desires for simple physical pleasures. You know, most people don't even realize that a relationship includes good communication skills in order for it to enjoy longevity." She glanced down at her cup and realized her teacup and pot were empty. "I'm going to get some more tea. Would you like some more, Usagi?"

"Yes, please." As soon her body was turned, she hit Itachi to gain his attention. "What's going on? I don't understand anything your mom is saying."

"I'll explain later."

"Why is she saying all these weird words?"

"She's just quirky that way."

"Yeah, I'll say. I mean the way she words things. Intimacy? I wouldn't exactly call my relationship with any of my friends as intimate. I mean, I guess, we have all known each other awhile. And carnival desires? What exactly do carnivals have to do with good communication and longevity?"

"She said _carnal_ desires."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means...look, I'll explain it later."

"You better. I get the feeling you're hiding something from me."

"In due time." His mother lifted the kettle, and he gently pushed Usagi over to her side. "For now, just smile and nod at anything she says."

"Fine."

"There you two go off whispering pleasantries to each other again. I feel completely left out of the loop."

"That makes two of us."

"Excuse me, dear?"

Itachi gave Usagi a small jab on the side.

"Ow."

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh, no. I was just saying thanks for making this tea for the two of us."

She smiled. "Oh, fine. Keep your secrets."

Itachi glanced over at the kitchen clock, frowning when he noticed the time. He immediately put his utensils down and stood up from his seat.

"Is something wrong, sweetie?"

"It's getting late. If I don't get to work soon, I'll be reprimanded."

"But you hardly ate!"

"Yeah, Itachi. You need to eat a little more before you go."

"I'll be fine. I'll just grab something at work."

"You know I dislike you consuming so much junk food. It's bad for your health."

"It will be fine in moderation."

"Why don't I make you a quick snack?"

"Kaa-san, please, I haven't the time."

"But…"

"Oh hey, I know! Why don't you take the cookies I brought you guys?"

"Oh, Usagi that's a wonderful idea!"

"What cookies?"

Mikoto rushed over to the pantry and pulled out one of the small bags of cookies. "Usagi was kind enough to bring these over for our family. Why don't you take yours to work to tie you over until dinner?"

"You want me to bring _these_ to my work?" He held the clear bag up to his face for inspection. The plastic was clear which made the contents inside easily available to see. There were several different shapes of cookies: some stars, some moons and some rabbits. Judging by the smell and brown colors, he easily deduced them to be cinnamon. And while not his favorite, he didn't particularly have a distaste for them either. He continued to inspect the bag and found pink and blue ribbons at the top, tied in a bow which sealed the bag tightly. Finally, there was a picture of a pint-sized baby bear on the front with the hiragana characters for a trademark logo right under indicating it as part of some franchise. Overall, he simply wouldn't be caught dead with such a thing.

"If you don't like them, you don't have to take them, Itachi. You can just eat something else."

"Nonsense, my son _loves_ them. _Don't_ you, Itachi?"

His mother smiled widely, much more than his personal comfort zone allowed. He knew the answer she wanted to hear. "Yes, they look fine. I'll take them to work."

"Good, because we wouldn't want Usagi's hard work to go unnoticed. She brought those cookies especially for our family. I assume you haven't developed a loss of memory or etiquette in proper procedures as to how such behavior is to be addressed?

"Of course not." He faced Usagi and mumbled a quick thank you.

"I believe I have developed the inability to understand human speech at such low frequencies."

"_Thank_ you," he repeated in irritation.

"Much better, now go change and get to work. We women have much to talk about." She made a hand movement to shoo him away.

"Gladly."

Usagi accepted Mikoto's cue to sit down after his presence was no longer among them.

"That boy, he always was quite a handful."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes well, hopefully, _your_ children won't be such troublesome creatures for you. I love my son, but I would be lying if I said he didn't make me consider turning myself in for mental evaluation every now and then."

"Itachi can be quite exasperating sometimes."

"How do you deal with it?"

"Well, it really depends. For instance, if he just gets in those grumpy moods where everything angers him I usually leave him alone until he starts to invade my own personal space."

"And then?"

"And then, well we usually train in order to alleviate the stress."

Mikoto almost slipped on her hand. "Excuse me?"

"Well, training helps Itachi in many ways. But the one thing that is consistent is that he always tells me it's a really good stress reliever."

"Oh, is that so? Tell me Usagi, does my son pressure you into these training sessions?"

"Not at all! I love our training sessions! Believe me, it's just as beneficial for me as it is for him. I genuinely love them. I think they help us develop some skills and technique, they're good for bonding and Itachi is right. They really are great for relieving stress."

"Skills and technique? Figuratively speaking, perhaps it does help. And it is one way to bond. Well, I suppose if neither of you objects to it…"

"Mikoto-san, if I didn't want to train with your son, I would simply refuse."

"I'm glad to hear you have some backbone. I don't like it when men prey on innocent women."

"Your son isn't like that at all! He really puts my safety first before anything else."

"That does set me at ease. But Usagi, you must know that unprotected…_training_…leads to many complications. Now my son has informed me that you two are taking every precaution with the situation and that I needn't worry. Is he correct?"

She thought carefully to each and every training session. True, Itachi was a bit tough in training but it wasn't as if he was jeopardizing her life in any of them. Even in the close-range combat sessions, Itachi always made sure Usagi was suited with some type of armor to withstand even his fast kicks and punches. "As I stated before, your son puts my interests first and foremost at all times. You really have nothing to worry about us."

"That's a great relief and a large burden off my shoulders. Not that I don't trust my son, but sometimes, I don't know. I feel as if he keeps things from me."

"I know how you feel. Itachi, during the time I've known him, rarely talks to me about anything. Usually it's me doing the talking. I mean, he talks a lot more now than he used to, but I always feel he's holding back, you know? Like there's a lot of him I don't know about."

"Didn't he ever share with you about his life?"

"No, never. And if he did, it was just small snippets. He rarely even talked about you, if all actually. He's usually too busy brooding or reading something, when we're not training that is. I mean, we do talk a lot together, but he never takes it too personal. I guess, I've always had a natural curiosity about him. The more I get to know him, the more I realize I don't really know your son at all."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Itachi, is very secretive about things—as I'm sure you noticed from all the commotion within this past week. I wish he could be more open to me as well, his own mother. But that's been his nature for quite some time."

"Yeah, and that's okay. I've learned to deal with it. I don't have to know everything about him. I just wish he trusted me more, like I trust him."

Mikoto sighed heavily into her teacup. After watching the swirls of liquid settle, her eyes caught the reflection of a clock behind her. Mounted on the wall was an antique clock her family passed down for generations. And what caught her attention even more on that clock, was the unique design of a yellow bird that popped out every top of the hour. When she recalled that tiny bird, an idea struck her so suddenly. If Itachi wouldn't open up more to Usagi, then perhaps as a mother, she could share more with her.

"If you really want to know more about Itachi, there is something I can do about it."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I think I have a wonderful idea. But first we'll begin with the training phase of your life.

"Training?"

"Yes, and then after that, I will share with you a part of Uchiha Itachi that no one else knows about."

"Really? No one else?"

"Not even Shisui."

Her eyes widened in fascination. "I'm up for this training if I get to learn more about Itachi. What are you going to show me?"

Her eyes twinkled in hidden mischief. "Something I'm sure you will never forget. So, why don't we begin cleaning this place up?"

"Cleaning?"

"Yes, cleaning."

Usagi was guided through several hallways before Mikoto began piling clothes into a basket.

"I'm sure you want to gain as much experience as necessary before you finally make that commitment of matrimony and parenthood."

She blushed. "I guess. But why does that matter right now?"

"Sweetheart, it's always best to understand what responsibilities you will have. These are some of the chores you will have to look forward to when you are a mother."

"Yes, you keep mentioning that, and I've been meaning to ask. Why do you insist that I prepare myself with these things?"

"Well, do you want to find yourself with child in the future and not have any trickle of knowledge as to what you need to do?"

"I suppose not."

"And do you want to be overloaded with work without the experience of balancing it out with your time?"

"No."

"And you want to understand more about Itachi too, correct?"

"I guess."

"Then we have come to an understanding, I presume?"

"Uh, maybe."

"Good. Now take these."

Usagi braced her feet and withstood the impact of a heavy basket filled with many articles of clothing. "What are these?"

"Itachi's clothes."

Her face turned a bright red. "W-what do you want me to do with this?"

"Wash them of course. I'm getting Sasuke's laundry ready at the moment. I need to sort them out but Itachi's are ready to go."

"B-but, don't you think Itachi will be upset about this?"

"Not if _you're_ the one doing this."

"And you're sure about that?"

"Of course. Now let's get to it. The laundry room is right through here."

Usagi followed clumsily through several hallways until she was led to a room connecting to the outside area. On one side, there was a bucket filled with what she presumed cold water and soap. To her right was the main patio leading to an area outside with several clothing lines lined up, ready for use.

"Everything you need is right here."

"Oh, yes…but…"

"Just wash them like you would your own. I'll be back to check on you so we can get started on some other exercises."

"Okay…" she whispered into the room, hearing only her echo as a reply. She began to toss in several clothes into the bucket of water. Her fingers traced along clothing that immediately caused her to give cheek. She rushed to dump in the load in bulks, not bothering to separate anything in particular.

"Are you sure he's okay with me doing this?"

Mikoto called out from her side of the house. "Why wouldn't he be, sweetie?"

"Well, I wouldn't like anyone doing _my_ laundry for me. And Itachi is a bit obsessive compulsive when it comes to his possessions. I would expect the same with his, er, unmentionables."

"Oh, he'll be fine with it. He lets me do his laundry, after all."

"But you're his mother."

"And you don't think you hold a special place in his heart? Trust me; it's fine."

"If you say so…" His mother just kept getting more peculiar at every turn but she ignored the matter. Usagi scrubbed the clothes quickly and began to set them out to dry on the lines prepared for her. She was greeted with Mikoto's presence just as she finished hanging the last article of clothing.

"Now, if you're done with that we'll move onto the next phase of your training."

"Training is it?" Usagi muttered. If she didn't know better, she would have thought Mikoto to be using this as an excuse to lighten her load of housework.

"The next thing we'll do is…oh yes! The dishes!

"Dishes? This is the training you had in mind? Mikoto-san, I know how to wash dishes."

"But not like _I_ do. A mother's way of handling dishes is an art form! It requires a keen eye and perfect hand carriage, otherwise you'll simply end up with broken dishes and missed spots."

Usagi was not convinced. "Right."

"You get to it and I'll take care of the floors."

"Got it," she replied unenthusiastically while her hands began to work. She washed each dish while dodging Mikoto's efforts to sweep the floor.

"I appreciate your help so much, sweetie. I usually end up doing this work on my own, with the boys gone all day and whatnot."

"Don't they help you at all with the household chores?"

"The boys don't have steady days off from work. The time they do get, I much prefer them rest; therefore, I end up doing all the work on my own. But you know, when Itachi was a little boy, he would follow me around the house and imitate my cleaning habits."

"Really? That's so cute. Like a baby chick and a mother hen."

"That's what Uruchi thought as well. And now that I think about it, that may be the reason why Itachi is so fastidious with his environment and possessions. It may be a habit that rubbed off from me."

"Yeah, I must confess that aside from public areas in my apartment, my place can get rather messy at times. I hardly have time to get it clean enough to enjoy it. Usually by the time I clean it, it only gets messy again a day later."

"Doing things by yourself can be tasking and time consuming. On top of that you have to balance your regular work. I find it quite admiring actually; you may be much more prepared for life than you think."

"Maybe."

"But being independent is quite something else. You must find yourself lonely being the only one in your household. If you'll pardon my intrusive nature, I would like to know…how did your family pass away?"

"Well, the only family I'm aware of are my mother and father. According to the records Konoha has, there weren't any live relatives from my father's side and they don't have records for my mother since she was a foreigner. But as to their fates, my mother passed away after getting sick from complications of my birth. She only spent a few months with me, so I gathered from documents anyway. My father brought me back here after that but he died in the third war. I was, maybe two then and so I don't recall them at all."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I was born into the clan with many people surrounding me. It's been that way all my life. I can't even begin to fathom what it's like growing up alone."

"You're only as alone as you make yourself to be. I had plenty of friends so please don't pity me. That's just the way it is sometimes, though. Some people get it easy, some don't. It's not fair but that's life. If I stopped and worried about it or singled myself out in self-depreciation, I think I would have grown hating Konoha…and clans for that matter. I probably would have grown up hating your son too."

"I'm glad you have such a positive outlook on life."

"Yes, but I was lucky to be born in a decent environment. There are plenty of people who grew up like me that didn't have it so easy. So when I hear that people like that go off and do all these crazy and dangerous things, I honestly can't judge them for it. They must have been driven mad for the lack of justification of life's unequal distribution of fortunes. I think that in some alternate reality, I could have been one of those people."

"In all sincerity, I never really gave thought to such things. Being born into luxuries makes you take things for granted. I suppose you must think me spoiled."

"No, I don't think ill of you. But I do wish more people would consider us as equals, those not born into a prestigious lineage. Do you think less of me for being born this way?"

"Not at all."

"Good. Actually, Itachi never did either. In fact, when I first met your son, he never really did judge me for it at all. He brushed it off like I was discussing the weather. At first I thought he was a jerk but Itachi taught me so many things. That was the first."

"What's that?"

"The thought was contrary to the matter. When I was little, I guess it was just common to get overlooked because of my inadequacies. My own sensei didn't even expect too much out of me. But your son sees everything the same; therefore, no one is superior to anyone else. In the end, lineage is irrelevant. I found myself admiring him more because of it."

"I'm glad to hear that. Itachi has always been an objective person. In this case, it may have worked in your favor."

"Yes, and I always feel like learning more about him. As I said earlier, your son can be a mystery sometimes."

"Well, if you can get these dishes squared away, I'll treat you to what I promised. In fact, why don't I get everything ready while you finish. We'll call it a day with these chores."

"Sounds good to me."

She increased the pace, excited for whatever surprise Mikoto had waiting for her. And with perfect timing, she finished laying the last wet dish on the rack just as Mikoto was ready for her company.

"Usagi! Can you come in here?"

"I'm coming!"

She threw the towel onto the counter and raced to find the voice.

"Where are you?"

"Just down the hall to your left sweetie."

When she entered the room, Mikoto was crouched on the floor with boxes surrounding her sides. Right by her knees were several photos scattered about and she knew without inspection that they were family photos.

"Are these just from your family?"

"Yes. This is what I wanted to show you. Long ago, I promised myself that when Itachi invited female companions over, I would share the pictures with them."

"A female? Why is that?"

"We mothers love to embarrass our children at times, for different reasons. In my case, I simply want to let you know what Itachi was like when he was a little boy. And to also get a little revenge for the troubles he put me through sometimes as he grew up. Would you like to take a peek? I'm sure you'll learn much about Itachi through the history of these photos. Much more than you've ever known before."

She dropped to her knees instantly and scooted her body towards the pictures eagerly. "Definitely."

"I thought you might. So why don't I show you this album first. It's our celebration album. Every picture in here has us together celebrating some type of festival or special event." She flipped through the pages until a few cluster of photos caught her eye. "Ah, see this? It's Itachi's first day at the academy. Everyone from his class gathered together to take this picture. Itachi put up a small fight but eventually gave in. He never did like taking pictures, even as a child. See the little pout on his face?"

"I do. And why doesn't he like doing these things?"

"Some people think his attitude contradicts most humans and their desire to seek social interaction. But you should know yourself how shy my boy can be at times."

"Yeah, I know. It took a lot of convincing on my part to get him to do the things we did together."

"Oh, what kinds of things sweetheart?"

"Well, for instance that one time we stopped by a festival to get some food before coming back to Konoha, I wanted to play the goldfish scooping game. He got annoyed saying we had no time to waste and that it was in my best interest not to carry a goldfish in a tiny bag of water for a long distance."

"And then what happened?"

"I whined a lot until he got frustrated. Eventually we came to a compromise that if I put the fish back, we could play two rounds."

"We? Don't tell me my son played too."

"Yeah, I asked him to show me how to play when I broke my scoop the first time."

"I bet it wasn't easy for him to do."

"No, I suppose not. Just like the time we fed the ducks."

"Ducks?"

"Yeah, there was another time we were training by a lake and I saw a sign that said 'Feed the Ducks'. He told me to forget it and that ducks were evil so I shouldn't even bother."

"Did you ever feed them?"

"Of course. He can't resist my charm." She smirked playfully. "By that point I think he really did give up on my antics and just let me be. But he got the last laugh when I was chased down the dock by them. Itachi was right. They're evil."

She gave a soft giggle. "You two have such interesting adventures."

Usagi blushed sheepishly. "Yeah I guess we do."

"And you seem to do a lot of 'training' together. In places I find rather bold actually."

"I thought the locations were okay."

"O-oh really?"

"Yeah, and anyway, we don't train as much as we used to."

"Is that so ?"

"Yeah, we just don't have enough time to or desire sometimes. I mean, we do from time to time but not like before. Mostly now he just ends up sleeping on my couch."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. I rather enjoy his company. He doesn't even have to do anything. Just being there is enough."

"I really am glad to see that you two have progressed."

"Me too. Your son is a lot of fun to be around with."

"Fun?"

"Yeah, he's really funny too. He really knows how to make me laugh sometimes. When he's not brooding that is."

"Yes, I suppose he does have a peculiar sense of humor. He gets it from me, you know. Certainly not his father."

"Was he always like that?"

"He was a lot livelier as a child, before the war anyway. Afterwards, he was never quite the same. Sasuke's birth helped him recover from the trauma a little, but I always felt I lost a part of him that one particular day. It was just horrifying for him; I'm sure of it. War is already hard enough for us adults, let alone little four-year old children. And after that, the clan began his intensive training. He grew up quickly and before I knew it, he was a man."

"Do you wish you had more time with him as a child?"

"I wish he had more time with himself as a child. I fear we pushed him too hard and too fast. He complained very little and eventually not at all but, I don't know. Sometimes I feel that I failed as a mother."

"I don't think you did. You were there for him all this time, weren't you? You gave him a home, a family, food, the clothes on his back and your love. There's nothing more he could ask for and I'm sure he appreciates all the hard work as a mother you put in to raise him."

She swallowed, holding back a few tears. "You are so sweet, you know that?"

"U-uh, I mean…well…it's what I think."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to get emotional in front of you."

"No, it's fine."

"Actually, back to the topic of ducks…"

"What is it?"

"There is something I would like to show you. A couple of things in fact."

"What are they?"

"Just a montage of more embarrassing moments to ridicule my son."

"Heh, you don't say…" Usagi's lip only half smiled. Itachi's mother could be frightening at times. Or perhaps it was just a trait found in all mothers.

"Let me just…" her hand picked through the box for the object. And when it squeezed around it producing a unique squeaking sound, she knew Usagi was intrigued. "Here it is…"

"Is this…?"

Mikoto smiled.

"No way. Really?"

"Yes, really.

"This belonged to him?"

"Indeed."

Usagi gave the yellow rubber duck a few squeezes to reproduce the sound. It was a very faint yellow color, almost an off-white cream color. The duck itself was no more than the size of her palm but it probably appeared much larger to a tiny toddler. The right eye was disappearing and the beak's orange coloring was not only faded but chipping away at the ends as well. The rest of the body was battered and torn, worn and dusty. It was obvious Mikoto was honest in that she rarely opened these boxes. She wondered if Mikoto ever opened them at all considering all the cobwebs and dust they collected. Usagi blew at the duck and attempted to at least spruce it up a bit.

"When Itachi was two, he loved to take a bath with his rubber ducks. In fact, he threw a quite a fit if I didn't send him to his bath with his little friends."

"Ducks? As in more than one?"

"Oh yes. He had a whole flock sweetheart. Every night after I gave his body a thorough scrub and rinse, I gave him a few minutes to play at his leisure. He would rock in the water back and forth to create tidal waves in order to make his ducks swim about. I believe he said he was recreating a hurricane if I recall correctly. I'm not quite sure if his friends survived the venture, but I do recall all the water I had to mop up every night. It was certainly a mess."

"That is too cute. I will definitely remember this in the future."

"Cute in retrospect. But it was quite a hassle for me back then. Not as bad as his naked phase, though. That was sheer horror. Terrible-twos indeed."

Usagi snorted her repressed chuckle. She gave the duck another squeeze in the process. "Naked phase? Itachi had a naked phase?"

"Yes, when he was two. Rotten brat. It was especially a predicament in the summer. He would get hot and cry a lot over it so eventually I settled for letting him wear only a diaper. Unfortunately the rascal would yank the diaper off and proceed to run amok in the house completely naked. I let it go thinking it as a phase. We were in the house, all family, so it wasn't a big deal. What _was_ a big deal was when he decided to repeat the action outside the household. It was so embarrassing. I should have killed the habit from the start but seeing as he was my first child, I was a bit inexperienced."

By now she was struggling to breathe, her next words coming out in between breaths.

"Itachi…just…wow."

"Here's a picture to prove my statement."

Usagi struggled to take hold of the picture and when she did, she found herself, once again, at a loss for breath and clutching to her stomach.

"We were getting ready to take our summer photos underneath this beautiful tree. Everything was perfect. The wind was blowing gently and the fields smelled of beautiful lavender mountain lilies. I had a beautiful sunflower sundress, my husband was actually in a pleasant mood, the sun wasn't too bright, and the temperature was great. Just everything about that moment was perfect. We were gathered on a blanket by our picnic, cuddled together like a cute family. The photographer was just about ready to take the photograph when Itachi, at the last minute, decided to stand up, snag off his diaper and toss it aside. The results are as you see, my son in all his naked glory. He then proceeded to run off across the field of flowers, and my husband almost fell over twice on the steep path trying to get to my son who, at that point, began to roll down the hill in the buff."

"I can't…oh…gosh that is too funny." Usagi wiped away a tear. "It hurts my stomach just thinking about it."

"Well I'm glad you find it amusing, and I suppose it was so even back then. But you should have seen the look on everyone's faces who managed to catch that moment in the fields." She buried her head into her hands. "I'm still embarrassed thinking about it."

"Wow. Did it ever die off?"

"Luckily by the time he was three he became a little more aware and self-conscious. I truly do think it is the fabled terrible-twos. Usagi, when you have children, make sure you are mentally prepared for the trauma they will cause you."

"Noted and stored."

"Good. And this is why I said I keep all these pictures. It's my payback for all the stress my children have given me. Itachi, however, was just a little more of a handful than Sasuke. I don't know whether that's a credit to my newly gained experience from raising him or that Sasuke was simply well-behaved."

"Well, at least that's in the past now. You're not thinking of having more children are you?"

"Oh, good heavens no! I did want a girl when I was pregnant with Sasuke but alas, another boy. After those two, I decided I wouldn't try for more. It was just too much work and two was plenty. But every now and then I do wonder what it would be like if I did have a little girl I could spoil like a princess. I eventually settled with the notion that I would rely on grandchildren for that dream."

"That's good. And hopefully we won't have to worry about any naked phases with them."

She chuckled. "No, I hope we don't." She stole a peak at Usagi's watch and realized the time. Her husband and son would be returning home and expecting their dinner. "Oh will you look at the time. It's already four. I need to move fast if I'm to get my family's dinner ready."

"Dinner? You just made lunch and it's only four. Isn't it a bit early?"

"Well, as you know, I tend to have more traditional dinners at my house. Preparation for the vegetables and meat takes about an hour. I then need at least another hour to finish the actual cooking. Then setting up the table, preparing the tea...it's my usual routine. Usually it feels as if once one meal is over, I get right to work on the next."

"Wow, and on top of that all the housework for the day and the shopping. You really do a lot Mikoto-san."

"Well I'm glad somebody appreciates my work. But that's the life of a mother."

"When I get married and have a family, my husband's going to split the housework with me."

"That seems to be the contemporary trend considering more women are at work. But please don't admonish my family for our traditions. I genuinely love what I do for them."

"I wasn't. But I do wish Itachi would at least do his own laundry from time to time."

"I suspect if you stay over more often, he would have to."

"Excuse me?"

"I think you know." She winked and began putting away her pictures.

Usagi was completely lost but nervously laughed it off as Itachi did warn her that his mother was quirky. "Um, do you mind if I hold onto this duck for a while?"

"The duck? Why would you want such a thing?"

"To repay Itachi for all the trauma he's caused you." She gave the duck two squeezes.

Mikoto smiled wickedly. "Very well. It's yours for now."

"Thanks."

She allowed Usagi to help her finish cleaning up the storage room. As soon as she was sure everything was put in place, she watched Usagi nervously rocking on her feet. The girl was probably at a conflict as to what she should be doing.

"Um, I guess I should go now. You have a lot to do…"

She thought hard about several things that happened to attack her mind at the moment. It was nice having Usagi around. A female partner was a very nice change of pace. She found she could engage in conversations that only her friends in the gossip chain could. When she was in the house, there was very little room to engage in her type of conversations. It was a fact that she did tend to run her mouth, but very rarely did her sons or husband return the act. They were often very quiet unless coaxed into talking, mostly from her whining. And so, as she busied herself doing chores around the house, it was a common routine she adapted to hum to herself, recite lyrics, or try to picture herself in another world considering there was very little to communicate internally. Having Usagi around was a wonderful change of scenery; she felt many spectacular things regarding the girl. And a part of her longed to hold her like the long lost daughter she never had. That part, was reluctant to relinquish the feeling so soon. And given the fact the girl had no family of her own, it was probably a motherly instinct that pushed her into giving in to that selfish feeling.

"Well, if you're not too busy tonight, how would you like to stay for dinner as well?"

"I really couldn't. Mikoto-san, you've done so much for me already. I would be imposing."

"I insist. Your company was enjoyable today, Usagi."

"But…"

"It would make me very happy if you stayed."

"Well, okay..."

Mikoto's earnest looks and glittering eyes didn't allow her the capacity to refuse such an offer. And the more thought that was given in to the request, the more earnest she felt about her desire to stay as well. There was just some type of connection there, much more than a friend and a friend's mother. She felt gravely reluctant to let the opportunity slip away.

* * *

"Are these all the records we have?"

"Yes."

"There's nothing more?"

"No. Blonde female. Birthday: June thirtieth. Born to parents Kenji and Ikkuko Tsukino. The father was a merchant for Konoha while the mother was a resident of Iwagakure. The girl was living with her mother for a few months until she died of complications derived from the birth of her child. She was then moved here to live with her father until his passing during the attacks in the village from the third ninja war. The former Hokage, yondaime, assigned her to the second ward of the youth treatment center. She lived the rest of her life under the ward of the village until she was granted her own quarters around the age of ten."

He turned the papers to view both sides and sifted through them only to find a very thin pile. "Is that it? There's nothing more to the folder?"

"Well, we have a history of medical, academic and work-related documents. Health seems to be good for the most part. Academic-wise, I mean aside from a few punctuality problems and average test scores, there really is nothing bad. Work seems to be in check too. She hasn't given the team any trouble, has completed all her missions and follows protocol as instructed. Captain, the girl seems fine, and she comes off clean. There really is nothing too extraordinary about this case."

"That's what worries me."

"Sir?"

"No, it's nothing. Thank you for the work. I'll let you get back to your previous assignment."

"Yes, sir. And if I find changes in development, I will inform you at once."

"Very well." He gave a firm nod before relieving the officer from his office. After the man left, he sighed into clasped hands, deliberating every piece of information from the files that lay before him.

"You seem troubled by all this."

"Of course. You can look at these files yourself." He placed the pile into an envelope and slid them across the table in frustration.

"Ah, this is the girl that defeated Michio a few years back."

"Yes, I figured that out as well. Back during that final round, I found it peculiar that she was able to defeat Michio so easily."

"I wouldn't call it a quick battle. She did suffer her fair share of scrapes. In fact, had it not been for that final move, he may have actually won."

"Yes, but she shouldn't have even battled on par to begin with. The fact that she was able to withstand so much damage and on top of that, able to battle the sharingan so well left an unsettling feeling within me. No ordinary person carries that much stamina, much less a girl. For months after it, I played the battle over and over in my head. I tried to replay every piece of detail I could think of, making sure not to overlook anything possible that could enlighten me to the exact events that transpired and the results that followed the exam. But not once, did I find any trace of victory for the girl. I reevaluated our clan's training regimen based on that one battle. A girl with no lineage or bloodline was able to conjure up a unique attack and defeat an Uchiha? It angered me but more than anything, I was worried that our clan's capabilities were jeopardized. If she could defeat us, what would that say about other people like her or worse, other clans? It puzzled me since then but knowing now what truly happened has eased my concern for any insufficiencies I once believed of our clan. Unfortunately, that raises another problem, and I understand with perfect clarity what exactly happened."

"Itachi. You think Itachi helped her achieve victory."

"I _know_ he did. There's no way that girl could have made it that far on her own and defeated one of our boys unless she received help from the inside. If anyone could bring it out of her it would be my son. But to think Itachi would reveal our clan's secrets is maddening. I never thought my son would betray his own clan."

"I don't believe Itachi did such a thing."

"What makes you say that?"

"In retrospect, we can see that the girl received some amount of intensive training, mostly likely from your son. But claiming Itachi took it beyond simple exercises would be insulting of your son's integrity. Itachi is an honorable shinobi and would not reveal our clan's most internal secrets. It was probably information readily available to anyone who cared to give it even a casual glance. Furthermore, it was obvious from the battle the girl had very limited knowledge of our true abilities, especially the sharingan. I doubt the training delved too far in. The girl probably picked up what little she could from Itachi if they engaged in any type of basic training exercises."

"Perhaps. But it still concerns me. If Itachi is serious about the girl, it means she'll become more involved with our family. And with that comes the dangers of being exposed. I wouldn't even put it past her to try to work her way into Itachi's good graces and our family just to get the information she needs."

"You think her to be a spy? She doesn't exactly exemplify the qualities required of such a task. And Fugaku, let's not get ahead of ourselves. If I recall correctly, it was that type of thinking that led your son into an interrogation room over a matter of his personal intimate affairs."

If Fugaku was not careful to hide emotions, a blush may have appeared on his face. He cleared his throat to regain his composure. "I had every right to be suspicious with the way my son was acting. If he was simply engaging in sexual activities for leisure, he should have made an indication of it long ago. And now that I'm on the subject of the girl, I have to say that I'm disappointed in my son's choice of women."

"The girl is fairly attractive. She appears healthy and energetic. It's obvious why your son found her appealing. What objection do you have against it?"

"There's more to a relationship than appearances. I would expect my son to have the same standards as I would when it comes to women."

"Does this have anything to do with her lack of a colorful pedigree?"

"The girl is insufficient and a danger to my son's future."

"The file indicates there really is nothing to worry about. The girl isn't involved in anything illegal that could tarnish Itachi's reputation."

He didn't turn to acknowledge the old man's statement.

"Or perhaps you have more trivial things to consider?"

"There is nothing trivial about a father wanting the best for his son."

"Then am I to understand you don't believe this girl fulfills Itachi's needs? Or rather, _your_ needs."

"You heard Tekka. The girl doesn't even have so much as volunteer work on her resume. She works with the team to further only herself. Everything she has accomplished has been purely selfish."

"Well that's a bit unfair, don't you think? Most ninjas are concerned with progressing and increasing their rank. After all, if we all get stuck on D-rank missions for life, how will that benefit our society? No individual growth means no national growth. It's a team effort, Fugaku."

"This girl wouldn't understand the needs of this clan. The pressure will become too much and it will break her. What purpose will she have then if she can't serve her clan, her husband?"

"Husband? I think you're pushing things a little too far. This is only a stepping stone in Itachi's development."

"Excuse me?"

"Fugaku, how many men do you know that actually end up with their childhood sweethearts? You yourself didn't marry your first girlfriend, something of which Mikoto herself is unaware, I'm sure."

"Hmm."

"This is Itachi's first relationship. What are the odds he will actually be with this girl when the time comes for him to marry? I'm sure he will have moved on by then."

"Then what do you propose? I let them gallivant about their ways?"

He sighed before collecting his cane and hat. Once he was sure his weight was fully supported by the wooden object, he made his crawling move towards the door. "Rubbing the rice too hard when trying to clean it only grinds it into brittle powder."

"So what? I sit here and do nothing?"

"What I say is irrelevant to what action you take. I know you too well. And as you stated before, he _is_ your son. But just remember that life has a way of taking its own course. There's no need trying to undo something that hasn't been done." With a tip of his hat, he bid Fugaku a silent farewell. After closing the door behind him, he watched as a group of boys gathered around Itachi's work station.

"Well, boys what have we here?" The man snatched an item from the table and waved it around to the crowd. "Aw, they're cute little cookies. And look, they're even wrapped up with ribbon and a tiny teddy bear sticker."

Itachi's hand swiped his bag at lightning speed. He ignored the men and continued scribbling notes in his binder.

"Better watch out boys, his lover gave him those cookies. Wouldn't want to piss him off, would we?"

"I'm hurt she didn't make the rest of us any cookies."

"She can keep the cookies. I wouldn't mind if she shared herself with the rest of us."

"Hey, Itachi, when you're done with her, let us know. We'd all like a go."

In an attempt to save Itachi from all the jeering, his cane shot out to make a quick swipe of the area. Several officers offered curses as others received the message to give Itachi some distance.

"If you have enough time to fool around then I expect you've finished all your work. In that case, I may be taking it too easy on you. We'll work on tomorrow's load today as well. I expect full reports and analysis back to me before sundown. Anyone who isn't able to complete their tasks, well I hope you brought your nightwear, because you'll be needing it."

"Come on, old man. Give us a break."

"We were just messing around."

"Get back to work you miscreant maggots!"

They replied with groans and reluctant affirmations to their duties.

He watched as Itachi began to make his way to the filing cabinet, ready to begin the next day's paperwork. "Not you."

"Sir?"

"I suspect the moment I leave, they'll simply parade about your desk more. If that's the case, I'll excuse you for the rest of the day."

"Are you dismissing me, sir?"

"Essentially. Go home and finish your work there. I'll inform your father that your aide is no longer needed here for the day."

"Ah."

He watched the old man leave and sighed a relief. It wasn't as if the men were a complete distraction. He had learned long ago how to completely ignore interference with his work. But perhaps taking the rest of the day off from the station would prove beneficial for his assignments. He would be able to accomplish much more at home. After gathering his documents, he braced himself for the inevitable teasing as he walked out of the station.

"Hey, Itachi, tell your girlfriend I said hello."

"Yo, man, when's the wedding?"

He ignored all the jeering and senseless ruckus those statements evoked. The day was exceptionally annoying and he was mentally drained over enduring such painfully awkward conversations. It had been the same since that dreadful Thursday morning when Usagi had decided to open her big mouth. And he suspected since then that the recovery time would take quite a while. It had always been the same with any other officer's undertakings. Similarly he recalled another officer caught in an affair with an engaged woman. It took quite some time for the event to die out but even now some still whispered words behind closed curtains over his ordeal. The quickest way for a scandal to fade out of existence was for a new one to emerge. Sadly, he would bear the brunt of the joking until the next one.

"Just ignore them. They're only messing with you."

He gave Shisui a quick recognition of his presence before continuing his walk home. "I know."

"How is Usagi, anyway?"

"A victim of my mother's affection."

"I take it your mother has grown fond of her already?"

"Adores her, mostly because she thinks she's my girlfriend. Which makes it my first alleged relationship, so you can understand her excitement."

"Your mom was just about to give up on you and focus on Sasuke for grandchildren. This news, albeit false, surely has raised her spirits about your potential for siring children."

"I know. Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately? What's the problem?"

"Nothing really. I'm just wondering where this will go if it gets out of control."

"Out of control?"

"Well at some point this game has to end. I can't go back on my word to my mother. She's already assured she doesn't believe me. But I'm at a loss as to how to squelch this false rumor. There has to be something."

"Well there is a solution to your problem."

"Really? And what would that be?"

Shisui stopped and stood in front of Itachi, placing both hands firmly on his shoulders to cease his movements. "Itachi, you're going to have to break up with her."

"Stop fooling around." He shoved his friend aside and continued his pace.

"I know I know. But it's not a bad solution. You fake an amicable breakup with the two of you deciding to stay close friends and then you're off the hook."

"Only one problem. My mom will just try to patch things up again and then we're back to square one."

"Yeah, maybe. Got another solution?"

"Have Usagi tell her the truth and explain everything. Now if I can just get that woman to shut up for one minute so we can talk. My mother won't believe my words but perhaps if Usagi was with me to help explain it, she would begin to believe in the misunderstanding. Which leads to my other minor issue. I have to let Usagi know what's going on. Her choice of actions and words as of recent have not helped my problem at all."

"You mean you haven't told her yet? Never mind that, you're trying to say she hasn't caught on to what's going on?"

"Usagi is…how should I put it…?"

"Naïve?"

"I was going with stupid, but that works too."

"That's no way to speak about a lady."

"She offers me a few choice words all the time, so we're square."

He chuckled. "I can tell you have a pretty close friendship with her."

"I guess."

"Well then there goes solution number three."

"And what would that be?"

"Just go out with her so the rumor will be true."

"No."

"Alright, just a suggestion. But try to tell Usagi as soon as possible. It's not in good mind to keep her in the shadows from all this. She'll run into trouble later on."

"Trouble?"

"The clan. They're laughing it all off now but believe me, considering your position, all eyes are going to be on her. You're an important political figurehead in this clan, Itachi. Usagi will be heavily scrutinized and her very existence will be torn apart and shredded for analysis to judge whether or not she's suitable for you…_if_ you let this spiral out of control."

"I know. I'll try to clear things up soon."

"That's not all. You're going to have to give her a fair warning and watch over her well-being even if the truth gets out."

"You don't think the clan would hurt her, do you?"

"Well, not the actual members. Some probably won't be bothered by her presence at all. I was referring, instead, to your little fan club. The girls that like to gossip and giggle every time they see you. Don't you think they'll be a little antagonistic toward a girl that shares so much intimate time with you?"

"I actually never thought about that. I had forgotten they were still around."

"You know how vicious those girls get. Just look at the ones in Sasuke's generation and how awful they treat Sakura just because she's on the same team as him."

"Usagi isn't exactly fragile. If they ever crossed her, I would actually be more concerned for _their_ well-being."

"Perhaps so. Where is she now anyway? How did it go with your lunch?"

"It went fine, the only problem being my mother asking her about children. Other than that it ran fairly smooth."

"Well that's good. I'm sure it made Usagi very happy. She doesn't have a real family so this extended one should cheer her up."

"Extended?"

He smirked. "I'm sure your mother will be ready to adopt her after finding out she's an orphan. It's just a mother's instinct to protect children. Usagi's been her whole life without a family. Hanging around yours will give her a good idea of what it's like. That alone will bring her much happiness."

"Hmm."

"Which brings up another dilemma. If you're not going to find a suitable solution to keep her around, then you should break it off immediately. It will be too cruel giving Usagi that taste of paradise and then snatching it away from her once she's accustomed to it."

"Yes. I know."

"Give me the details later, then. I have to go meet the old man now."

"Ah."

He walked off even before Shisui disappeared from sight. He was tired, hungry, fed up with the teasing and mildly irritated from the combination. At moments like these, a shower, hot bath and some warm food was all he needed—accompanied with much needed rest. And when he saw the familiar red parasol hanging by the entrance to his home, he offered silent gratitude for having endured yet another day at work.

Ignoring the sounds of steaming vegetables and the smell of chicken being boiled in a stock of garlic goodness, he went straight into his room and began stripping off his vest and socks. His meal was going to be ready soon, if his mother maintained her usual punctual routine. He decided to bide his time and get some much needed relief for his feet by resting on his futon. In that small amount of time he first laid down, he began recalling Shisui's words. It was true, he needed to relay the information fast before Usagi was in too deep. But how to go about doing that was a different story. Luckily, Usagi was a bit more attentive and so telling her flat out would be much simpler than his luck with his mother. In a critical situation such as this, it was better to be as open and direct as possible. It was his style, anyway. He sat up on his futon, contemplating the exact moment when he would talk to her. Perhaps if he just visited her as normal, asked her for a walk or initiated some other type of activity to make the transition into the conversation easier. If he spoke rationally, she would probably come to the same conclusion and end the interaction with his family mutually. Then they could go back to the way things were without anyone being suspicious, without anyone thinking anything more of…."

"Itachi, I love you…"

His eyes narrowed and he dared not turn his head. A sharp breath escaped him, his eyebrows bore down, and a familiar pull of skin below his eye appeared as quickly as it left. And before he could utter another word, his ears were greeted with a high-pitched noise that fluctuated in tone. The sound repeated two more times before his arm reached out to attempt to cease its existence.

"But why don't you love _me_, Itachi? Why…why? Didn't I mean anything to you?"

"Give it to me."

She scooted back and held the object out of his reach. "What about all those good times we shared? Did they mean anything at all to you?"

"Usagi, give-me-the duck."

"No! He's mine!"

"That's stolen property."

"It's _abandoned_ property, which makes it perfectly legal that it is currently in my possession."

"Just give it-to-me…" By now he was on knees trying to retrieve the item as Usagi effectively rolled out of his way. "Where did you get it, anyway?"

"Your mom."

"My mother?" He stopped struggling suddenly and immediately stood straight on his knees. "Usagi, what else did my mother show you?"

"Just some pictures."

"Of what?" His voice projected the hidden anger he was currently withholding.

"Um, let's see. There were a lot scattered but I do recall a few. You and Sasuke holding hands under a tree. And believe me, that one was too cute for words. Then there were some of you guys starting out in the academy, one of you eating watermelon. There's a picture of you guys dressed for the festivals your family attends."

"She had no business showing you any of those. And you should have just made an excuse to leave instead of sitting there watching them. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Your mom invited me for dinner, and I've been helping her around the house. Plus I couldn't resist when she promised to show me your family album."

He ditched the duck as he sat by his kotatsu. He hated the fact his mother still kept those pictures. When they were younger, she sometimes showed them off to Auntie Uruchi when she was over and a few other elderly Uchiha women. Most of them were dead by now except for Uruchi and he quarreled with his mother often about eradicating them completely. Since the issue was never brought up again and he heard no teasing from anyone, he imagined she gave into his wishes. But now he knew the evidence of his childhood still existed. It made him uneasy about everything. Particularly that one incident.

"Is that…_all_…she showed you?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay."

"Wait."

"What?"

"Well, there is something I wanted to ask you."

"About what?"

"Just a random thought. I wanted to know…"

"Yes?"

"Would you feel awkward if I decided to strip right now?"

"_Excuse_ me?" He raised a confused eyebrow, mortified of the suggestion.

"Well, it is a fairly hot day and I just figured the less I had on, the more comfortable I would feel. Oh and hopefully your family won't mind if I decide to run about the house completely bare."

The brow slowly lowered until his face was now marred with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "How much…did you see?"

She smiled with pearly white teeth. "It would be much easier to tell you what I _didn't_ see."

He closed his eyes, attempting to calm the storm that was brewing in his body. Once he was confident his mind was rational again, he stood up abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Usagi's eyes widened when he activated his sharingan. "Itachi? What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm going to kill her."

"No! Damn it, just wait." Her feet slipped and she landed on her knees twice before successfully standing up.

"And then, I'm going to burn this house down and all the evidence with it."

"Stop that!" She hooked her arms and miserably attempted to ground her feet and restrain his movements.

"Usagi, let me go."

"No. You don't have to do this!" She squeezed harder but found it was impossible to harm his steel body. It was dragging her halfway across the room.

"Don't bother stopping me."

"I'm your friend so please just listen to me for a second!"

"Then be a good friend, and help me hide the bodies."

She let go of her squeezing hold and ran before him, pressing her hands flat against his chest and grounding her feet once again to attempt to stop his actions. "Look, just listen for a second. This is not the right solution!"

"You're right…"

She stopped and relaxed when his body no longer pushed against her hold.

"I just have to destroy the photographs."

"What? You can't!"

"And why not?"

"They're your mother's pictures. A memory from your childhood and they mean a lot to her. You'll break her heart if you do it."

"Then at least let me destroy the bad ones."

"Oh come on! Don't you have a sense of humor? Besides, it's not like your mom is posting these up on bulletin boards across Konoha!"

"But she could."

"If your mother wanted to humiliate you in that way, she would have done it already."

He sulked back to the floor.

"Aww, is it so bad that I saw them? You were a little kid. I'm sure being fully nude is completely natural at that age."

He said nothing but grumbled some words she barely caught.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise. It'll be our secret."

"I still don't like it that you know. Maybe I should take my own measures to ensure that you never speak of the situation."

She gulped when his sharingan bore into her eyes. "Take it easy, okay? You might give me some type of brain aneurism or something."

"All the better to keep you silent."

She glared. "Why are you so upset? They were baby pictures; there's nothing wrong with them."

"Hmm."

"So what if I saw your…uh…thingy…"

"Usagi?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

"Well I was just saying…it was so small…" She became nervous when Itachi's sharingan eyes became much more menacing. She immediately flailed her hands. "I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that you were a baby then so it doesn't count as me seeing you now. And I'm sure you're very big now…uh…well…that is I haven't actually seen your thing now but I'm sure you're a very decent size! I wasn't trying to insult you. That is, uh, please don't kill me."

"Just stop talking about it you stupid girl."

"Shutting up now."

"If I agree not to destroy those damn pictures will you refrain from bringing this up _ever_ again?"

"Deal."

"And I assure you, if I so much as hear a word, a whisper, an exhale of _breath_ in regards to those photographs, you will not only never make it to jounin but I can assure you that you will never make it to the next year. And I can easily make it look like an accident. A horrific, unfortunate, _doleful_ accident. Am I understood?"

She giggled weakly. "You're only half serious right?"

He frowned and sent a small wave of power her way.

She quickly erased the humor on her face. "Understood. And sorry. You're right, I should've run. But I was curious."

"About what?"

"I just wanted to know what you were like. I don't know much about you so I was wondering about the secret life of Uchiha Itachi. You never tell me anything really deep about you. I hardly know anything about your life outside mine, including your family. So I was just curious as to what I was missing out on."

"Nothing of interest to you."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Usagi," he warned.

"My lips are sealed and no one will ever know of this incident. Yubiwa?" She held her pinky finger out to him.

He intertwined his finger with hers after a moment's hesitation. "Ah."

"Am I interrupting something?"

They both disengaged when Mikoto entered.

Itachi frowned. "No, nothing at all."

She smiled. "Well, dinner is ready. But I was thinking…"

All ears perked to listen.

"How would you two like to have dinner here? Fugaku and I could use some quiet time alone, and it really isn't a bother at all. I'm sure you two have much to talk about."

"Well, I don't know…" Usagi turned to Itachi for the final decision.

"Ah. That's fine."

"Oh well, then yes. I'm okay with it too."

She smiled. "Good. Then I'll be back shortly with your dishes."

Usagi leaned against the small table as soon as she left. "Is that okay? Isn't it kind of rude not to eat at the table?"

"My mother isn't the type to offer a choice for something of which she isn't fond. If she gave us the option, it means she's genuinely okay with it. Besides, I'm used to eating in my room a lot."

"But, don't you want to share a meal with your family?"

"If you want to eat in the kitchen with my father then be my guest."

She cringed. "Um, your room it is." She twiddled her fingers impatiently for a few seconds before glancing over at him. His features indicated he knew she had more to say and it wasn't in her nature to withhold information from him when she was eager to speak.

"What?"

"I was just wondering something. You said earlier that there was something you wanted to tell me…about your mom acting peculiar during lunch. I wanted to know what that was about."

"Oh well, it's a bit complicated but here goes."

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when you came barging into the interrogation room that day?"

"Of course. I remember it."

"Okay, now do you remember what exactly it was you said to everyone to clear my name?"

"I told them you spent the whole night with me."

"Yes. Now think about that and think about what you are insinuating. Then try to picture my mother's reaction and why she has been behaving in a peculiar fashion."

"Oh. Hmm." She placed a hand under her chin, humming along to her brain's attempt to piece the information.

"Do you understand?"

"Well, let's see. She keeps asking me about children…"

"Yes."

"She keeps treating me really nice…"

"Yes."

"She seems very fond of me being part of this family…"

"Exactly. Do you understand the pattern now?"

"Yeah I get it. Your mom wants to adopt me!"

"What?"

"It makes perfect sense to me. She even said you were a failure to provide grandchildren and kept bugging me about it. Plus she's been really nice to me so maybe she wants me to join your family and provide her these children!"

"It's official. You're an idiot."

"I'm not stupid and my logic makes perfect sense. She seems really keen on me getting along with you and wants to include me in more family activities. Plus she wants to help me in my training to become a mother so it's obvious she wants to adopt me. Hey, Itachi wouldn't that be cool? You and I can be siblings. You can be my bigger brother!"

"That is _not_ happening."

"Don't be such a downer. And now I have an excuse to squeal over Sasuke too. He'll be a cute little brother for me."

"_That_ certainly will not happen."

"Why are you so upset over this? Don't you think I'll make a cute little sister for you? I mean we're already really close to each other. I've seen your baby pictures and I know more about your past than anyone else. And this will be good for us because we can hang out more without anyone worrying."

"My mother is not thinking these things of you, and you are _not_ my new little sister."

"Aw, I think I can blend into this family well. No one will know the difference."

"You look nothing like us."

"I could be your mom's illegitimate child from an illicit relationship she had with your gardener."

"We don't have a gardener. And stop giving into your manga's fantasies. Don't corrupt my mother's integrity."

She stuck her tongue out. "Hateful boy. But fine, if your mother is not thinking these things about me then what is she thinking of me, genius?"

"Sex." He said it bluntly before she could interrupt in a similar fashion like his mother.

"Your mother was thinking about sex with _me_? Wait, is that why she's asking about children and getting friendly? I'm not like that and actually I think that's biologically impossible. Plus she's married."

"No, you stupid girl!"

"But you just said she was thinking about sex!"

"She wasn't thinking about sex with _you_! She was thinking about sex with _me_!"

Usagi's horrified eyes scanned Itachi up and down.

"Not like that, you moron!"

"Then what?"

"She was thinking about us!"

"Us how?"

"Well, she was thinking of _our_ compatibilities and future."

"I don't get it. What do you mean?"

"She thinks that we're…"

"Dinner!" Mikoto slid the shoji doors open and presented the two with a tray and their meals.

Usagi's mouth salivated at the sight of all the food. "Great, I'm starving!"

Itachi sighed heavily.

"Was I interrupting again sweetheart?"

"You? Never."

"Okay then. Carry on. I'll just be in the kitchen with your father if you need me."

Usagi carried the tray over to the table, eagerly anticipating the flavors of each dish.

"This looks so good. I helped your mom make it so please let me know how it is."

"Hmm."

They broke their chopsticks and offered their custom phrase before diving right into the meal.

"Hey, what were you saying right before your mom came in?"

He chewed his vegetables. "Mmm?"

"Something about us." She swallowed her food and moved on to each dish excitedly.

"Oh. I'll tell you after the meal."

"Okay. And by the way, how did you like your cookies?"

"Cookies?"

"The ones I gave you earlier for work. Were they good?"

"Ah."

"Glad you liked them. And this really is delicious. I'll have to come over more often; this is food is awesome."

His brain resounded warnings to the situation. Shisui's words echoed in his mind and he knew then that the problem could escalate if Usagi continued down this path unless he pushed her away. Perhaps the solution at hand was to guide her in that direction instead of a lengthy explanation which appeared much too complex for Usagi, anyway. "Usagi…"

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking…"

"What is it?"

"I think maybe it's best if you didn't come over too often."

"What? Why not?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and he immediately searched for better words.

"It's not that I don't want you here. Well, actually that's not entirely true…"

Her eyes began to glisten with a hint of tears.

"Wait, I mean, I like hanging out with you. But just not with my family…"

Her lips began to quiver slightly.

"No, well, the thing is I…look. Never mind okay? Just forget about it." He rethought his procedures carefully in order to avoid a crying girl in his room.

She placed her chopsticks down sharply and stopped eating, ignoring his suggestion to move on.

"What is it?"

"If you don't want me around, just come out and say it. You don't have to keep making stupid excuses."

"What?"

"My mom doesn't think that of you. She was thinking about our future and compatibilities," she repeated in a falsetto of his voice.

"I was serious about that."

"Just be honest with me. The truth of the matter is, _you're_ the one not comfortable with me around. You're just trying to make excuses for yourself and using your mom as a shield."

"That's not true. I just don't think this situation is right for us."

"Are you embarrassed by me?"

"I'm not embarrassed."

"Oh, so everything is fine and you have no objections to hanging out with me in private—when no one knows of my existence. But lo and behold the clan gets wind of my presence and you're suddenly uncomfortable? I didn't think you were that type of guy, Itachi."

"I'm not. This isn't about your lineage or lack thereof."

"Then what's wrong? I mean, no one is against me coming over. Your mother is okay with me, your father hasn't said anything according to you and no one in the clan has confronted me either. So what's the problem?"

"It's the problems that will come later down the road. My mother…"

"Stop trying to bring your mother into this. It's obvious you're the one with the problems here. If you're not comfortable with me hanging around your house, just say it. I'll go. It's not a big deal."

"Usagi, don't be upset."

"I'm not upset; I just wish you would be more honest with me. It feels like everyone's in on this big secret that I don't know about. Usagi is too stupid. Usagi is immature. Usagi won't get it."

"I don't think you're stupid."

"You just said a while ago I was."

"You're not. Just you're thinking…"

"…is stupid?"

"I was going to say…eccentric. And fine, if you must know, there is a reason I want to keep a low profile with you. But I'll tell you only after we eat, when I know there won't be any intrusions from my mother whom I'm sure will be listening in and interrupting us again."

"Forget it. I'm not in the mood anymore."

"Is something wrong?"

He dropped his head to the table. "Like that."

Mikoto smiled innocently. "I just wanted to check up on you and see if you wanted more tea."

"No, we don't need more tea."

"Actually, Mikoto-san, I was just…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing, but I have to—"

"You're not leaving are you?"

"Well…"

"It's the food isn't it? I knew the recipe was outdated. I should've gone with something more modern." She gasped. "Did I accidentally put carrots in them!"

"No, you didn't…I mean, the food is wonderful—"

"Then it's the tea right? I knew I should have gone with Jasmine tea."

"No, my tea is perfectly fine. I was just thinking that perhaps it's best I just go now. I mean, before it gets too late."

Mikoto immediately glared at Itachi. "You did this, didn't you? You made her upset!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Mikoto-san, it's just not the right environment."

"Say no more! No problem, I completely understand."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "What are you up to now, you crazy woman?"

"I know just how to fix things like this. Sometimes, you just have to set the mood properly. I've had plenty of experience with Fugaku so I know how this works. You two just sit right there."

"Mikoto-san, I think it's best…"

"Not another word, just sit right here." She added a little pressure to Usagi's shoulders and pushed her back down to the floor.

"I will be right back. Just wait you two."

"Okay…"

They waited patiently for her as her feet scurried across the floor. There was a loud crash, some arguing with her husband, more scurrying and then she was back—breathless over her mini marathon run.

"I…have…them." She struggled to catch her breath.

Usagi and Itachi frowned as she slammed a vase of flowers and some scented candles onto the table.

"This should help set the mood and patch things up between you."

"I don't get it. Candles?"

Mikoto winked at her. She placed the vase of flowers in the middle of the table and then arranged the candles on Itachi's kotatsu around it before lighting them up. After she was done, she backed out of the room and shut the lights off. "Don't you worry about me. I'll make sure to give you two plenty of privacy!" And then, she was gone.

"Your mom, is by far, the most curious person I have ever met. She's been acting weird all day. Itachi, is she sick?"

"And twisted," he mumbled.

"And why did she turn off the lights? I can't see myself eat." Usagi made an attempt to resume her consumption of the food but frowned when her utensils hit the wooden table repeatedly.

"Are you saying then you'll stay?"

"I, well…I might as well. I don't want to upset her."

"Good. And I promise to explain it later when I know she won't interrupt. For now, I'll just go turn the lights back on." He did as he said he would and followed his action with an attempt to blow out the candles before Usagi stopped him.

"Hey, wait. I kind of like these candles. They smell nice. Let's leave them on for now."

"And burn off oxygen in an enclosed area? What's wrong with you?"

Usagi sighed into her food. "You really are romantically stunted aren't you?"

"Are you suggesting you want a romantic ambience?"

"Of course. Girls love these kinds of things. Didn't you know that?"

"I prefer to keep things professional between us."

"Oh don't get so cocky. It's not about you. It doesn't matter who I'm with—be it a girl or a guy. I can appreciate a romantic setting. It's visually appealing to my eyes."

"Deep down, you're just like regular women I guess."

"Naturally, that makes me normal. What about you?"

"What about me?" He reached over to a bowl and began placing pieces of cabbage onto his plate.

"I never see you do anything manly."

"Manly? You don't think all the work I do constitutes being a man?"

"Okay, I guess you do manly things being in Anbu and working out but I mean things normal guys do on a daily basis for recreation."

"Enlighten me."

"Well for starters, do you have any dirty magazines?"

He choked on his rice. Why did people insist on asking these things while he had a full mouth? "No, I don't have such a thing."

"See that's what I mean. Normal guys go to the magazine shop and buy those dirty magazines of scantily dressed women with big breasts and butts. Kakashi does it, Iruka does it and heck even Naruto does it."

"I don't find photographs of women with absurdly large body parts to be remotely entertaining or visually pleasing for that matter."

"This is why everyone thinks you're gay."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not gay."

"But you said that you don't find those magazines intriguing."

"I don't find those type of women appealing. It takes much more to garner my interest."

"So, you like intelligent girls?"

"I never gave it any thought but an intelligent girl who knows when to shut up about a faux pas subject does sound remarkably attractive right about now."

"Calm down. I…well…what about underwear? A lot of guys keep their girlfriend's underwear."

"I don't have a girlfriend. And even if I did, I wouldn't purposely keep a pair of her undergarments with me. That just sounds disgusting and unsanitary."

"Yeah. And I don't even want to think about what guys actually do with them. Do you know?"

"Why do you always ask _me_ these ridiculous questions?"

"Well, because you're a guy. You're supposed to know these things, you know?"

"No, I don't know, all right? I have no idea why men decide to hold a woman's used and filthy undergarments hostage for any period of time. Now enough with this nonsense."

"I'm only asking because of your mom."

"What does my mother have to do with any of this?"

"Earlier she was saying how much she really wanted a baby girl. Instead she got stuck with you two and was hoping one of you could bless her with a granddaughter. But from the way you're acting, I'd say I have a better chance of providing her these grandchildren."

"Whether or not I have children is completely irrelevant to her life. If I choose to live alone then she must learn to respect that."

"Why would you _want_ to live alone? Don't you want to marry someone someday? Have a family with children and a wife?"

"Not if they're going to be anything like my mother or as annoying as you."

"But won't you be lonely? I mean, if all your friends and your brother get married and have families of their own, they won't spend as much time with you. So won't you be lonely being by yourself all the time?"

"I'll manage."

"Well, I guess it's okay. Everyone chooses the kind of lifestyle they want. But, Itachi, I promise you this. No matter what happens, I'll always be your friend. And I'll always be there if you want to talk to me."

He smiled bitterly as he recalled another conversation with Shisui. Usagi would indeed be married someday and her husband would be less than pleased about her spending intimate time with another man behind closed doors. "And what of your future husband? Won't he be upset seeing you alone with me?"

"If my future husband loves me as much as he's supposed to, then he should trust me and understand that I have friendships outside the marriage. Whether those friendships are with males or females is irrelevant. A friend is a friend."

"Is that so? Well then tell me something. Do you think it's possible for a man and a woman to know each other for a long time and not develop feelings?"

She paused for quite some time, deliberating the answer. "No, I don't think so."

He stopped mid-bite.

"But feelings, that's a vague concept. Feelings can be anything from love, being in love, caring, compassion…the list goes on. If two people, regardless of gender, know each other for that long, they are bound to grow some type of relationship and develop feelings. It doesn't have to be romantic feelings or attraction. Sometimes, you just learn to care for each other or you become friends, like with us. And even if it is love, it doesn't have to be one type of love."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for instance, I love Naruto, Minako-chan, Mako-chan, and Ami-chan. They're all precious friends to me. I love all my friends because they mean so much to me. Together, we've been through a lot so naturally we would develop feelings for one another. It's a different kind of love then when 'falling in love'."

"What's the difference?"

"Between what?"

"Loving someone and being in love with someone."

"Well, it's really hard to explain, so I'm just going to tell you what my friend told me."

"And that's what?"

"Do you love your mother?"

"I suppose."

"Are you in love with your mother?"

He smirked. "I see now."

"I'm not too certain what falling in love feels like because honestly, I don't think I've ever had that feeling. At least, I don't think so anyway. I mean there are guys I find attractive, but I never really gave it much thought considering how tough my life has been. There was just never any time to stop and think about it. You know?"

"As a matter of fact, I am quite familiar with the situation."

"Yeah, but if it's anything like what the manga I read say, then it's a really complex feeling. Most people don't think rationally, and all day they think about that person. Then when they leave each other, the only thing they ever think of is seeing that person again. Supposedly, your heart beats faster, you get a little nervous and there's always a feeling of excitement."

"Sounds bothersome."

"I'm not sure how much to believe it. I guess we won't know until it happens, right?"

"Hopefully life will spare me the pain."

She chuckled. "Sure. But anyway, does that answer your question? I mean, I tend to jumble up my words and speak random ideas but I hope my thoughts weren't too sporadic."

"No, that explains it. A lot actually."

"Why are you so curious?"

"About what?"

"Well, you never really want to talk about things like this. You usually tell me to shut up. But now, I don't know. You seem so curious about it."

"I won't deny I find the subject matter fascinating to some degree. I suppose it's just my aptitude for gathering knowledge in regards to human behavior. It also might be attributed to my training in Anbu as I was required to understand the human psyche and development in order to aide my work."

"That's so twisted. You mean, you guys use things like emotions against your victims?"

"You know I can't discuss things like that with you."

"Enough said. That speaks volumes. But on the other hand, I shouldn't be so offended. After all, we all do things we're not quite proud of from time to time. Like me, whenever I go on missions, I always wonder if the things I'm doing will inadvertently affect other people out there."

"Good or bad are vague perceptions people go by in regards to how they are raised. What's good or bad to me may not necessarily be the case for you; therefore, we are trained not to think about that. Are only job is the mission. We put faith in our leaders that tasks handed to us are beneficial for everyone and that our lives are not being risked for trivial and personal agendas. Don't you have faith in our Hokage?"

"I do."

"Then there shouldn't be a problem."

"Yeah, I guess not. Sorry, I didn't mean to get introspective. Sometimes, when I have a thought, my mouth tends to run carelessly without stopping."

"A habit I've learned long ago."

She threw a piece of rolled napkin at him. "Anyway, how do you like the food?"

"It's good."

"I helped make it so give me credit where it's due. Your mother put me on a training schedule today."

"Training?"

"Yes, or so she says. It was mostly household chores and cooking. It could have been training for motherhood, but to be quite honest I couldn't help but think she just wanted help to make it easier for her."

"That would be my mother. She's much more manipulative then most people assume."

"Yeah, I couldn't even get a word in to object. Plus she does that thing where her eyes get all cute and big. I'm pretty sure she does it just to get what she wants."

"Yes, I know that look all too well, especially from a particular rabbit."

"You have rabbits in your house? Where are they?"

He continued to stare at her.

"Ah ha, very funny. I do no such thing."

"No? Then who was it that cried that one time until she was allowed to take a break from training?"

"Must've been your brother because I don't recall such an act."

"How about the time said person complained and whined until she was given a specific batch of cotton candy?"

"Cotton candy…cotton candy. Nope, not ringing a bell."

"Or perhaps the time this girl entered my home without permission and demanded I train her?"

"Whoever this girl is, she has absolutely no regard for your privacy and is extremely detrimental to your well-being. You should issue a restraining order on her immediately."

"Believe me, you have no idea how tempted I am."

"Oh come on, I'm not _that_ annoying."

"You may want to rethink that."

"I'm just a little energetic at times; that doesn't constitute annoying."

"Honestly, you're just like my mother…"

"And how is that, sweetie?"

Itachi sighed into his cup having already sensed her presence down the hall. "Have you nothing better to do with your time? What about the intimate moments you wanted to share with your husband?"

"Itachi, that's no way to talk to your mother."

"That's right. After all, your caring mother wanted to check up on you. I was wondering if you two would like some dessert. I have strawberries and whip cream unless you two prefer to do it with chocolate syrup."

"Do what with chocolate syrup?"

Itachi immediately stood up. "Kaa-san, I need to speak with you."

"Oh don't be shy. I just…"

"_Now_." Itachi practically pulled her into the hallway and slid the door shut behind them. "What are you doing now, you insane woman?"

"I'm just trying to help you out. The tension seemed high and I was simply trying to set the romantic mood."

"We don't need your help."

"Oh, I'm sure you don't need your mother's help to get Usagi to give in to your physical necessities. But is it a crime that your mother simply wants the best for you?"

"Kaa-san…"

"You're getting grumpy again. Perhaps you do need to get laid immediately."

He blushed faintly in the cover of the corridor's dark shadows but hardened his attitude to dissipate it. Maybe playing along would rush her off the vicinity quicker than arguing with her. "You know, you're right. You're absolutely right. It's been a tiring day at work, my body is at the pinnacle of stressed and I could really use some time with Usagi to ease it. So will you please give us privacy the rest of the night? Will you promise me that? No more interrupting us? We need some alone time together to alleviate our stress."

Mikoto nodded happily. "Of course! Your mother understands these things well. I'll just take your empty dishes and let you be."

"Thank you."

They returned back into the room to see a bored Usagi who quickly readjusted her seating pattern.

"Did you enjoy the meal, Usagi?"

"Yes, I enjoyed it very much."

Mikoto began piling the dishes on top of each other with careful hands. "Delightful. I'm glad you did. And if you're going to be spending the night over, I can lend you some clothes in the event you were not able to bring your own."

"Oh, I didn't realize I was spending the night."

"Neither did I," Itachi muttered quietly.

"Well, Itachi just informed me that he was considering having you over for the night. I was concerned about your attire and wondered if you would like to borrow a gown of mine."

"Well…"

"Great, I will be right back and I promise after that, no more interruptions."

"Okay." Usagi watched Mikoto retreat and close the doors behind her before she turned to Itachi. "A sleepover at your house? I'm really going to have a sleepover at your house! That's awesome! And I didn't even bring any games or anything. We could've had so much fun like the other night! But we can still read, draw, talk and oh! I still have some nail polish in my purse. We can paint each other's toenails!"

"No."

"Okay, fine. I won't paint your toenails…permanently. But will you at least let me experiment with _one_? I think you have really cute toes. And I have some dark nail polish in my purse that will look good on you."

"No, you stupid girl and…'I have very cute toes?' What the hell does that even mean?"

"It's just something I noticed. I was looking at your toes tonight and realized how cute they were. See?" She pointed to his toes. "They are just so squishy and cute!"

"That doesn't even make any sense. And will you just drop it? It's not happening"

"Fine, I won't talk about your toes and we don't have to paint your toenails at all."

"I mean you are not sleeping over at my house. End of story."

"But your mother just said _you_ were the one that suggested it."

"She was mistaken."

"Then you don't…want me here?"

"It's not that I don't want you here..."

"Oh, are we back to that argument again?"

"No, we're not. I simply think this is breaking the professional boundary."

"Oh please. You've slept with me plenty of times in my room. How is this any different?"

He frowned at her choice of words and because it really wasn't any different. He decided to go about it at another angle. "I just think that this has been enough excitement for one night. Furthermore, I wouldn't want to keep you up from your studies or missions for tomorrow."

"I'm completely free tomorrow. The only thing I was going to do was read manga when I wake up at noon."

"There, another reason. My family wakes up at early hours, often before dawn. If you spend the night, you won't be able to sleep in."

"I bet if I ask your mom nicely, she'll let you sleep in. I can do that thing with the eyes. And think about how nice it will be to sleep in for a change."

"I don't sleep in to the afternoon, _ever_. It's highly unproductive. And I have work in the morning so that would also be impossible."

"Maybe your mom can help you get out of it if you tell her you're hanging out with me?"

"Highly unlikely. We Uchiha take pride in our work ethics. It is a vital attribute for our clan which distinguishes us from other groups and outlines our integral qualities. To allow one person unscheduled personal time off without proper advanced notice is highly irresponsible, against protocol and simply improbable."

"Oh, I think I can get you some time off for you and Usagi whenever you would like it. And if you want to sleep in, I can leave a note for your father when he leaves for work."

Itachi glared in the intruder's direction.

"Wait don't get mad! I promise that I will leave you two alone after this. I simply brought Usagi her change of clothes."

"That's great! See Itachi, it will all work out. Sometimes you won't get if you don't ask." She accepted the small pile of robes. "This is a yukata."

"Yes."

"A very _short_ Yukata." Usagi began unfolding the robes to inspect them. "And it's very…"

"Sexy?"

"I was going with revealing but yes, I suppose…" She folded the item back with mild concern. "Do you have anything else?"

"I have some lacy lingerie I got back on my birthday a few years ago."

Usagi patted the pile of robes. "Actually, you know what? This will work out just fine."

"I'm glad. And don't you worry about anyone interrupting. Fugaku and I will be sound asleep."

Usagi smiled. "Okay."

"Fast asleep, deep asleep. So far into the sleepy realm that not even a war could wake us. So don't concern yourself with modesty or conservative values. We won't hear a thing. In fact, our bedroom is on the far side of the house, very far. In a corner of the house very opposite from here, meters away. We could even wear earplugs if you're still bashful. That way you could scream and nobody…"

"Good-night, Kaa-san."

Mikoto regained her wits and retreated slowly. "Yes, understood. Have a good night you two." She slid the door shut and disappeared for the rest of the evening.

"Your mom's really nice. She really goes out of her way for guests. Although the choice of clothing is rather odd, but I'll take what I can get."

"Just hurry up so I can go next."

"Really? You mean we can have the sleepover after all?"

"Go before I change my mind."

"Okay, I won't take long."

She left before he could even reply. "Somehow, I doubt that."

Itachi collapsed back onto his futon. The day had not been any more progressive than the previous days. His mother was still insistent on imposing in his life and Usagi was still a clueless idiot. The only reason he agreed to having her stay was to have some peace and quiet from his mother which would give him the opportunity to explain a few things to Usagi. At the very least, one issue could be resolved from the entire calamity that ensued since that fatal statement. He rested for half an hour more, relaxing in the solitude of his room and relishing in the lack of presence from any other household member. After a few more minutes, he heard Usagi's feet sliding along the floor before entering.

"All yours. And oh, Itachi?"

"What?"

Usagi tossed the duck from before after she gave it a good squeeze. "I took a shower with Koji, you want to take one with him too?"

"Very funny." He grabbed the duck and placed it on a high shelf before walking off to the restroom. "And for you information, his name is Maki." He slammed the door behind him.

It didn't take him long to finish. In his experience with showers, women often took the longest. What information he gathered from Usagi led him to believe women followed suit with many more bathing rituals in regards to enhancing their scent, skin and facial hygiene. He didn't know whether women simply needed more care with their bodies or were much more vain than men but it did increase their time in preparation. However, with his case as well as most men he knew from bathhouses and family, it was usually very simple. Get in and get out. He knew his speed was not an illusion when he returned back to his room in record time to see Usagi completely shocked.

"You're done already? I only got like three toes painted."

"I don't waste my time in the bathroom. It's not a hobby of mine."

"Well excuse me for wanting to look good."

"Time is in direct correlation with necessity."

"I have no idea what you just said but my instincts tell me I have just been insulted so screw you." She stuck her tongue out before coughing from the nail polish inhalation.

"Stupid girl."

"Shut up and get over here so I can paint your toenails."

He gave his hair a quick dry from his towel before tossing it aside. "You are not painting my toenails."

"Just one. I just want to see how this one looks on you."

"For what purpose if I'm never going to wear it on a daily basis?"

"You never know. You might grow to like nail polish on your toes. Plus polish is good. It keeps you from biting your nails."

"Why would I bite my toenails? When would I even have the opportunity to do that?"

"Well not your toenails but your…you know what? Fine. Whatever. Just sit there and watch me."

He did as she suggested.

"Why do women practice these things?"

"Because it makes us feel good. Plus it's artsy."

"Painting your toenails does not constitute art."

"But slapping some paint splatters on paper is?"

"Those art pieces from the gallery were from people who actually put in psychological thought to the process. You're simply trying to make your feet colorful. Or whatever that's supposed to do. I don't know."

"It makes my feet look good. See? The yellow matches my hair."

"I highly doubt men will be concerned with what hue your toenails are painted with."

"What _will_ they be concerned with?"

He glanced quickly at her legs. "Never mind. And are you really wearing that color in public?"

"Not this time, maybe some other time. Right now I'm going to experiment with another color. Pass me your wet towel."

He faltered. "You just painted your whole foot only to take it off again? Then what the hell was the point?"

"I wanted to see how it would look on me." She began to wipe down each toe.

"You couldn't tell from one toe?"

"No, you need to do the whole foot in order to gauge it properly."

He sighed. "Women."

"Look, if you're not comfortable with sitting there watching me do this, then we can do something else. You're just lucky I'm not waxing my feet today."

"You actually wax?"

"Of course, but not to remove hair. I don't grow any. The properties in the wax make my skin so smooth that sometimes after long missions, I wax anyway to make it feel good."

"Waxing for leisure, sounds painful."

"Says the man who's probably been stabbed a few times in his life."

"Point taken."

"Okay then, what _are_ we going to do if you don't want to do this?"

Itachi stood up, walked over to a wall and turned the lights off. "We are going to sleep."

"Sleep? Already? Okay that's it. You are not allowed to arrange these things anymore. This is the worst sleepover ever!"

"Just go to sleep."

"Where?"

He threw two blankets at a corner on the opposite side of his room. "Over there, good night."

"Asshole, at least give me the futon. I'm your guest."

"It's my bed."

"I let you sleep on mine the other night."

"I worked hard all day. I deserved it."

"See? Asshole."

"Just shut up and go to sleep. We may be sleeping in but I need plenty of rest. I'm exhausted, Usagi."

"Okay."

"And make sure you stay on that side of the room." He drew an invisible line with his fingers. "I don't want to catch you sleeping on my side during the night."

"Somehow, I'll fight the temptation."

"Sleep."

She tried to do as he suggested. After burying herself under the covers, she turned left then right and then left again until she decided to roll around completely—entwined between the sheets. Her legs then bent to give her body a fetal position. Not liking that, she stretched them up again, only to pull them up in the former position once more. She then began using her feet to help her scoot across the floor, dragging her body and rearranging herself into different positions constantly. Her head faced the door until she rotated to face the opposite wall but moved back to face the door again. She followed with another rolling action and began to do so back and forth, back and forth—covers trapping her even further into one large lump of sheets. She wiggled her toes, wiggled her feet and rocked slowly on her back. When that still didn't lull her to sleep she released a heavy sigh—much to her companion's annoyance.

"Stop moving around like a little child," he gritted. "Lay still and go-to-_sleep_."

"But I'm not sleepy. I'm wide awake. Can't we do something else?"

"No."

"What about a pillow fight?"

"A what fight?"

"A pillow fight."

"What the hell is that?"

"You've never heard of a pillow fight? Where did your childhood go? A pillow fight, you just grab a pillow and hit someone with it. Like this." She grabbed the pillow nearest to Itachi and closed the distance between them to hit him with it in a rapid barrage.

"Stop that, it's annoying."

"Now _this_ is a sleepover!" Usagi continued the assault

"I said, stop it, you annoying brat!" Itachi tried in vain to ignore her and get to sleep. If it was anyone and anything else, there would no problem. Usagi, however, had an annoying habit to keep him fully distracted and disrupt his inner peace.

"Make me!"

Fed up with it all, Itachi grabbed his pillow and dealt a powerful blow at Usagi. He watched in horror as she was thrown across the room, collided loudly against the wall and splattered down onto the floor. His concern grew when she wasn't moving, for it was quite possible he had just committed a murder that night. "Usagi! Are you okay?"

She wiggled her body and slowly rolled to her back. "That was the _best_ pillow fight…ever! You're even better than Mako-chan. She could only knock me on the ground. But that was…wow!"

"Oh uh, I'm glad you're health is intact." This girl was certainly a glutton for pain.

"It is. But now that we've got the pillow fight out of the way, we need to move on down the list."

"Usagi, can't we just sleep. Please?"

"Come on, just a few more things so we can call this a real sleepover. Sleeping now would just be pitiful. After that, I promise I won't bother you and we can sleep."

"Such a child," he grumbled under his breath. "Fine. What's next on the list?"

"Gossip."

"Men do _not_ gossip."

"Oh come on it's not that hard. You just have to reveal something that's secret to most people. So what information do you have to relay to me?" She fell on her stomach and propped her head with her hands to direct her attention to him.

"I can't reveal confidential information to you; you know that."

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Not work stuff. Like _people_ stuff. You know, scandalous things."

"I haven't a clue to what you are referring."

"Okay, I'll go first so you can see how it's done. Remember that guy back in the interrogation room. I think his name was Inabi."

"Yes, the one that had you in a stranglehold."

"Your selective memory amuses me. But anyway, just yesterday I was walking to the library when I saw him making out with a girl in a dark part behind the building. Judging from the uniform, I say she's probably part of your clan too."

"That's ridiculous. Inabi wouldn't engage in intimate acts out in a public area during a busy time of the day."

"No really, it's true. I could tell it was him because when he grabbed me that day, I noticed a watch almost coming out of his pocket. It was a silver watch with…"

"…a fox embedded on the face. Yes…"

"Believe me; they were going at it like they were starving for each other. It was actually kind of awkward so I just left without making my presence known."

"That is completely uncharacteristic of him."

"I know, scandalous right?"

"If other people knew…"

"Mesmerizing, right?"

"I rather like this information."

"You do?"

"Yes, it puts me one step ahead of him. I find it perfect leverage for any future confrontations." Itachi chuckled evilly.

"See? Gossiping is fun right?

"It's _informative_."

"Whatever. Okay, now you go."

"What?"

"Just think of any juicy gossip that first comes to mind."

"Juicy? What does that entail?"

"Like, something I just told you. Something so uncharacteristic of people or something you think they would be too embarrassed to let anyone know."

"Okay, I think I have one."

"Really? Go on, share!"

"Okay, do you remember Anko?"

"Yes…"

"And you know Kakashi, correct?"

Usagi wiggled in anticipation of the gossip. "Yes, yes!"

"Well, there was one day I was making a trip to the academy to deliver some documents of a covert operation to the Hokage when I walked by a room with a door that was barely open. I noticed the two there hovering over a desk."

Usagi eyes widened as she scooted closer to Itachi. "What were they doing?"

"There were some papers scattered about on the desk. Anko was sitting down on the desk while Kakashi was leaning over her."

"Then what?" She leaned in closer to hear the story.

"Well, it turns out they were filing away papers from an operation. Apparently, there was some discrepancy between the analysis received by the Hokage and the analysis they were currently investigating. The results of the formula they concocted used incorrect logarithms and the exponents were established incorrectly. Therefore, they had to recalculate all the information presented to them while making sure that no other employees as well as any higher authorities discovered that such a mistake ever transpired."

Usagi collapsed onto the floor. "That's it? _That's_ the big gossip?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"There's nothing juicy about it! And it's work related!"

"It's not related to _my_ work. And you said it had to be something uncharacteristic and embarrassing. Kakashi and Anko are not ones to mishandle documents and nothing is more embarrassing then to be found liable for jeopardizing information about a special mission which would inadvertently affect the lives of civilians over a simple mathematical equation."

"Itachi?"

"What?"

"You suck at this. Do you know that?"

"Shut up." He had never been told he was bad at executing any particular task before. It was a slight dent to his ego. "Look, I did my part. I engaged in your frivolous activities. Now will you please adhere to my request and sleep?"

"Okay…but first…"

"What now?"

"I want to hear a story."

"How old are you?"

"No, I meant, I want to hear _your_ story. The one you were going to tell me earlier."

His scowl disappeared. How could he have forgotten the purpose behind this orchestrated mock sleepover? "Oh, yes. I did promise you, didn't I?"

"Yes."

He cleared his throat. "Very well. It's a bit lengthy so just bare with me. And you have to assure me that you will let me finish this conversation in one go. No interrupting me with any type of response until I am completely finished. Am I understood?"

"Yes, but if it's going to be a long one I want to say something before we sleep."

"Fair enough. You first."

"I just want to say, thank you. Thank you for letting me spend time with your family. I know I can be embarrassing at times…I'm not the best friend to bring to any family—especially one like this. I know you say you're not bothered but how could you not be? I mean, I don't really have anything to offer you or your family and I'm not exactly what your family may consider the best of companionship considering those facts. But you stayed with me these past few years and you invited me into your home. You and your mother have been so nice to me and now I know what it feels like to be loved by a family. Your mother hasn't known me for long but it already feels like we have some type of connection. And when she hugs me…I get this big warm feeling in my heart that makes me want to cry from the overwhelming joy. For so long, I wanted that feeling Itachi. And now I have it. Your mother is like the mom I never had and you're like the big brother I never had—always watching over me and helping me. All my life I wanted a bigger brother—to take care of me from time to time and give me advice, train with me or just play with me. So I just want to say thank you. Thank you for everything, Itachi." She cleared her voice and wiped a few tears before her smile returned. "Okay, now your turn!"

He paused and with less elegance than he was accustomed to, opened his mouth to release an incoherent squeal.

"Are you okay? I'm finished. You can go now."

But how could he? After that statement? He had to tell her the truth, however. She deserved that much and a promise was a promise. He was a man of his word. After careful deliberation, he opted for a remedied version of the conversation he originally planned in his head. She would still be informed of some of the problems at hand, but he decided against casting her away as Shisui suggested. Apparently, she was already in too far.

"Well?"

"The truth is…"

"Uh, huh…"

"The truth is…"

"Yes?"

"The truth is that my mother…acts this way when women are around."

Usagi's confusion was evident. "What? Act how?"

"The way she's acting. You see, every time I bring female companions over, she thinks I'm in a relationship with them, so she feels like she has to meddle in my affairs. That's why she was asking you all those questions."

Usagi rolled on the floor in amusement, unable to control her laughter. In one quick wave of understanding, everything made sense—especially all the things Mikoto was doing that day. "Really? That's it? That's why she was acting so strange? That wasn't long at all."

"No, I suppose not." Not this version of the conversation, anyway.

"Hey, that explains why she was showing me all those photos and asking me about kids. And why she gave me this Yukata or was talking about us making noise and sleeping together and putting the candles and flowers on the table. She thinks we're having an affair!"

Itachi sighed into a deep relaxtion over having released the built up burden. "Yes, I'm glad you understand now."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. And the way I've been acting too. I probably didn't make things any better for you."

"No, not at all."

She giggled more before clutching her stomach again. "This is so funny! If I laugh any harder I might go on myself."

"Please, don't. That's disgusting."

"It was just an expression. And I still can't believe she thought that of us! I mean, me with you? Please."

"Yeah, I know..." Itachi paused. He immediately took a defensive stance to her words. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing personal. It's just, you're more like a big brother to me, Itachi. "

He wasn't quite sure whether to be offended or relieved by the statement. But at the very least, he was reassured with her position on the situation.

"And just look at us. Can you really picture us two in an intimate relationship? I think I really am going to go on myself; this is so hilarious!"

"You've had your laughs. Enough."

"Fine. And I really pity you. This happens with every girl you bring to the house? Even co-workers? It must get annoying. How do you deal with it?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? It happens often, right?"

"I just don't recall how the problem is eradicated each time."

"Probably because the second a new one comes in, the old one gets kicked out. That's usually how it goes. Your mother will probably move on when another woman comes into the picture."

"Yes, perhaps."

"Hey, are you okay? You don't look too happy."

"I'm fine. I just…it's just the whole situation."

"Well, it is quite an ordeal."

"Yes."

"If you want, I can talk to your mom when I have the time and straighten this whole problem out."

His eyes searched for hers. "Really? You would do that?"

Usagi's mouth opened to release a heavy yawn and slurred response. "Sure. I can talk to her when she's not busy and alone. That way there won't be a misunderstanding."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"That's what friends are for," her yawning persisted.

"We should really get some rest."

"Yeah, I know. I'll go over to my corner. Good night, Itachi. Thanks for the sleepover."

He watched her scramble to her covers and snuggle under the blankets. This time, there was no exaggerated movements to accompany her attempt to sleep. She rolled once to cover herself and pick a comfortable position and then her eyes were shut. When she released a relaxed sigh and fell right to sleep with quiet breathing, he covered his own sheets around himself.

"Good night, Usagi."

If she did have the opportunity to speak with his mother, the problem would be eradicated instantly and there would be no need to shoo her away. Maybe, everything would fix itself right after that. And knowing Usagi harbored no personal feelings eased his tension on the matter. The situation was suddenly less complex in his mind. Everything would be just fine and perhaps their futures would actually greet them with pleasant weather.

* * *

**End.**

* * *

**Author's Mumbles:**

*Cracks knuckles* Jeez, that was a long one wasn't it? But it WAS mostly dialogue so not that bad. They seem long but there really isn't any place I find I could cut it at. The chapters flow like a story of their own. This chapter was focused more on character interactions and speech and required little psychology since most of it I wanted to be left up to the reader. Hope everyone enjoyed it and will still stick with the story. As soon as one chapter is done, I usually take a small break from it to clear my mind by working on other stuff. So when the next chapter will be up is uncertain. I hope not two months again but we'll see. I would really like a chapter a month but because of the length of these chapters, it's not always possible. But I think I'm doing my best. My effort is admirable. Or maybe you disagree and will proceed to kick me around. Haha! If you must yell at me for my lapse, do so in a PM. :)

On another note, I rather like Mikoto and how she's turning out to be. So much different then her children and husband. But I think it works and reminds me of my mother sometimes as well as some people that have PM'ed me and their mothers/grandmothers. Inspiration for her is also drawn from Satoshi's (Ash) mother from Pokemon. Inspiration from all my characters comes from the series and different people I've come to know. I even base Itachi on one of my betas! Interesting huh? Anyway, thank you for all the support. Keep it coming.

Also, shout out to my betas Chibi and Haley. You guys are awesome and so patient with me. Thanks for all the help and inserts for this story. This wouldn't be possible without you guys.

~Icehaze

* * *

**Preview of next chapter:**

Usagi decides it's time Itachi is introduced to _her_ world. Insert a mission impossible sequence, a flirting blonde, two hyperactive girls (maybe three) and an upset father and you have yourself the next chapter of HC. Itachi is really going to need some backup.


	8. VII Empirical

**Disclaimer:** The following contains content from Naoko Takeuchi and Masashi Kishimoto which has been screwed up by a warped individual to fit this particular's story's needs. Viewer discretion is advised.  
**Timeline:** I barely know 'when' Naruto is, let alone _this_ story.  
**Warnings:** Beware the walkers behind you, Rick!  
**Author's Notes:** How many months has it been? Oh well. Here's a chapter for you.  
**Dedications:** I rarely do this and usually not at the beginning but thank you to my two betas and in particular, Chibi, whose adventures/antics with her friends and experience taking care of an elderly, crazy woman have made this chapter that much more entertaining.

* * *

**Empirical**

* * *

Never in eighteen years had he been reduced to indulging in such disgraceful acts. Even when he spent time with his brother, everything possessed a purpose, a basic principle behind the action—regardless of how petty or juvenile the activity would appear. Yet here he was, paying tribute to some child's wild imagination and absurdity. Had his coworkers took any visual notice of his current actions, he may have faced the ridicule of an entire entourage of professional, well respected and elite shinobi. How one girl was able to reduce him into such a vulnerable state of recklessness was a puzzle even the wisest sage would find a struggle to decipher. But he supposed it wasn't entirely her fault as he had given into the request rather easily.

"Are you still upset about doing this?"

"I can't believe you talked me into using these."

"Hey, it's not a bad plan. It actually makes sense when you think about it."

"Plan…normal. Execution…not quite what I had in mind. But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised given your record of stupidity."

"Hmph! Whatever. Let's talk about the first phase of the plan."

"Oh? You have a plan in mind already?"

"No, I just meant our codenames."

He blinked once. "What?"

"Every covert operation uses pseudo names in order to hide a person's identity. We should do the same in order to conceal our identities, lest the enemy discovers us."

He lifted an eyebrow and scanned the environment. "We're in my house trying to talk to my mother not in a jungle engaging in espionage."

"Yes, your mother. The final boss we have to defeat. Not to worry. Our courage and friendship will guide us down the right path and together we will smite her with our kunai of justice."

"What are you talking about? Look, I know this is difficult for you, but just be normal for a little while."

"But I _am_ being normal!"

He grabbed her shoulder to fling her roughly into the house. "Just get in the house and look for my mother," he gritted out.

She rolled her eyes and stomped in agitation. "I hate you. You're no fun." After straightening her headset, she moved into the house with the most precise of concealing techniques. "Anyway, I'm in." Her back was against the wall of the corridor, and her feet began to move in a side motion. She began sliding against the wall as a result. "I'm starting down the main hallway."

"Good, keep an eye out. Follow the path you just entered in towards your right until you get to the end." He scrunched his face. "And stop sliding stupidly like you are. It's unnecessary."

Her eyes widened at his psychic skills. "How does he do that?" Despite his command, she continued to slide smoothly and looked over her shoulder when she made it to the edge. "Man, these things are amazing; they have good range," she giddily chirped out when she readjusted the headset resting on her ear. "I'm surprised we haven't used these things before. Think of how much fun we could have had using these all those times we got together."

"Usagi."

"Like using them to play some type of war reenactment or…or hide-and-seek and freeze tag..."

"Focus."

"…and spying on people…"

"Focus, _focus_."

"Oh, right. We can talk more about it later. I'm ready to play with these now."

"This isn't a game, Usagi. We're on a mission. Now will you please redirect your attention to the task at hand?"

"Okay, okay."

"Good. Now then, tell me, what position are you in?"

Her whole body was plastered back against the wall. She had two hands extended in each direction to maintain balance, one leg leaning a bit forward and the other stretching back to support her weight as she crouched low to the floor. "I'm thinking something along the lines of a warrior two—crane if I crouch more and lean in the direction of my torso."

Itachi's sigh was nothing more than static on Usagi's end. "I meant what is your current location, you stupid girl."

"Oh, right. Well I'm in the hallway that's leading right to the kitchen."

"Good. Now tell me, can you hear some singing or humming?"

Usagi covered the headset to hear Mikoto's voice echo through the hallway. "Yeah, I think it's your mother," she whispered.

"If my calculations are correct, she should be approaching the laundry room in approximately thirty seconds. She will then be preoccupied for another five minutes there. It will be the perfect opportunity for you to corner her."

"Got it. So I just wait until…what exactly?"

"When you hear a loud thud indicating she has set her basket down, go in for the kill."

"All right." She didn't have to wait long for the sound. Itachi's calculations were dangerously accurate and as soon as that loud thud reached her ears, she made her move towards the next hallway. "Okay, I'm going in."

"Good. I'll be on standby."

Despite his lack of presence, she nodded her response. "Wish me luck."

After no longer picking up reception, Itachi leaned back against the wooden rails of his porch. "Good luck."

He was hoping this attempt wouldn't end as unfavorably as the others. For a few weeks now, they had constantly tried to find a way to approach his mother and discuss the exact details of their friendship and how awry everything had gone from the moment of the interrogation. Fate, however, seemed to have other plans as they were never successful in breaking the news to her. In one instance, it was Mikoto's prior engagement to some friends she met at an herb shop. Then, it was her busy schedule for some volunteer work down at the academy. When he was certain she was free and restricted to the house, he was stopped, once again, by outside forces constantly meddling in by interrupting his mother's solitude. It was after trying every possible way he could think of to approach her did Usagi finally jump in with the idea of making it a priority mission involving the two of them. And he hoped that she would have much more success in discussing everything with his mother. Perhaps as a fellow female, she would lend much more attentive ears to her pleas.

Itachi sighed as he made a round of the house. So far, everything seemed to be going fairly well. The neighborhood was rather quiet minus the small amount of noise from the people nearby. It appeared as if the family was moving around some objects into the house. Other than that, the environment was rather peaceful. But it was best not take chances with unwanted attention. And he wanted to remain hidden to continue guarding his post, thus he moved away from the gates. This person, however, must have been a sharingan user, for Itachi was spotted regardless. And he cringed knowing a conversation was inevitable as soon as their eyes locked.

"Itachi-san, is that you?"

He smiled reluctantly. "Yes, how are you today?"

"Fine, fine. My wife just sent me out to bring some new furniture into the house. Unfortunately there's only so much me and the boys can do on our own." He smiled shyly and rubbed the back of his head as he pointed towards his eldest sons moving about with several pieces of bed frames and tables. "Say, if you're not too busy, would you care to help us out?"

"Actually, I am a little preoccupied."

"I promise it won't take too long. If you can help us get some of these chairs in, it will be sufficient. And with your strength, it shouldn't take too long."

He sighed softly while looking back at the house. It wasn't as if there was any other form of distraction for Usagi's mission. It all seemed to be in calm order. And so with a tired smile he nodded his confirmation of help and followed the man toward his house, looking back only once as if to assure himself there was nothing of great concern.

Despite the tranquility outside the house, there was an unsettling wind of anxiety within it. Usagi, who up until a few moments ago was casually strolling through the halls and reciting the anticipated dialogue for Mikoto, was now completely paralyzed in fear to her current spot.

"Itachi? Are you there? Come in, Itachi!" Usagi tapped harshly on the headset constantly to try and get it to work, possibly causing more damage in the process. She sucked in a large breath of air as the figure continued to move about. She had never expected Itachi's father to return once he left, and she mentally scolded Itachi for slacking off in his job as a guard. What was he doing outside if not his job?

Her feet's lack of cooperation restrained her from escaping back outside. And she was forced to rely on what speech spewed from her mouth. The only salvation in mind was her accomplice, and so she desperately continued to reach out for him. "Itachi, come _on."_

Usagi took a peek around the corner and spotted Fugaku near a closet holding some type of long object. When small flashes of light penetrated through the shoji doors and reflected the light off a metallic substance now ostensibly looking to be a sword, she nearly squeaked and snapped back, shivering silently in her little area.

"Itachi! He knows I'm here and he's trying to kill me! What do I do? What do I _do_?"

But there was still no answer from his receiving end, just loud sounds of feedback that caused Usagi to put away her headset momentarily due to the pain it inflicted on her ears. Not knowing what else to do, she took in her surroundings and found a room accessible from across the hall. That would mean, however, crossing the intersection of corridors and risk being caught by his father. But it was the only option. With a steady heartbeat, she mentally prepared herself and slid across the hall just in time before he took notice of her presence. And when she looked back around the corner, she noticed that the move was effective as he made no indication that he heard her skid across the tatami floor. After releasing her tension through series of steady breaths, she slid the door carefully open. The sounds of light squeaking from unoiled wood caused her to wince. But when she glanced back in the direction she assumed him to be and noticed he had, in fact, not come to investigate the noise, she felt her muscles relax once again. The imaginary sweat on her brow was wiped away, and she proceeded to close the door behind her; however, it became a difficult task when the shoji door would not budge.

"Come on, you stupid door. Just…" She grunted and groaned as she pulled on it. A jerk and a stumble later, the door slammed shut, and the force threw her back into the room.

"Who's there?" Fugaku demanded.

Usagi's hairs stood on end and she became more frantic of the footsteps entering the vicinity. She began to crawl about the room in various directions as a result of her panic. "What do I do? Where do I go? How do I…?" She swallowed hard to calm her nerves. "Okay, okay…gotta stay calm. I have to…I um…." More sweat began to fall down her brow as she now viewed the shadow lurking behind the door. Her mouth had become increasingly dry. Her surroundings were nothing but a blurred landscape, forgotten somewhere on the canvas. She was becoming more nervous with each footstep Fugaku took towards her, and it wasn't until the very last moment that she made an instinctive dive for the closet.

It was at that precise moment Fugaku slammed open the shoji doors. "Who's in here?"

"Oh, uh…it's…uh, just me," she giggled nervously and popped her head from her current location. "I…um, what are you doing here?"

"I forgot something I needed for work," he bit back as if it was irrelevant to her what he did or did not do in his own house.

Usagi assumed this to mean the katana he was holding. She wondered if he meant for it to be an item procured as evidence or a means to implement an execution. And realizing that the man before her had the power to put her life to an end without so much as leaving a piece of lint in his trail, she gulped and bowed her head low in submission.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"Oh, um…" The previous thoughts were momentarily forgotten as she was caught almost speechless to his question. She placed a thoughtful finger under her chin as she began to concoct whatever excuse first appeared in her mind. As she analyzed her environment, she immediately took notice that luck was bestowed upon her and she had fallen into none other than Itachi's room. In all the chaos, she had not even realized where it was her body was heading, but was glad instincts guided her to this location. But now it was imperative she give a liable excuse to Itachi's father who was not at all impressed by her intrusion in his household with the instinctual feeling that no permission had been granted to her from a parental authority. But there had to be a way out.

"I'm doing…" her eyes quickly darted around. She was horrible at making excuses and the only thing registering from her current panic attack was the neat pile of kunai nestled safely on a display case that undoubtedly belonged to Itachi. "…your son…"

Fugaku showed a momentary exposure of emotions as his eyes widened slightly at her bold words.

Usagi immediately turned red at the words that slid freely from her mouth. Remembering she was by the closet, she ducked in and immediately gathered a pile of dirty laundry and dumped it into a basket. "Clothes! I was doing your son's clothes! Well…uh…dirty laundry, heh heh, that is…I…um…" she was silenced by his cold and steady gaze.

"Why didn't you answer my call, then?"

"Huh?"

"Earlier, I was asking who was in here. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh, I uh, didn't hear anyone calling. You see I tend to get distracted easily while I'm working because I'm so scatterbrained that I can never seem to pay attention. So I try to stay focused by blocking everything out, or I'll just get too clumsy." She slipped on a sleeve when she began to stand up and knocked the basket over, instantly reintroducing the memory of her grand entrance back at the interrogation room as well as validating her point. "See? I'm just always making a mess of things."

"Indubitably."

She cleared her throat and recuperated from the fall before lifting the basket into her hands. "Well, I'll just get back to Mikoto-san and start Itachi's laundry now."

Her nervous laughter and constant stuttering did nothing to eradicate his suspicions of her erratic behavior. "Strange that Mikoto never mentioned you were here."

"Well, heh, you know how she is. A bit forgetful…"

"Are you insulting my wife?"

"No! Not at all. I just meant that well, perhaps she forgets to inform you of my presence as it has become an instinctual move on her behalf to just assume that I'm a natural aspect of this household because she sees me as part of the family now and…." She was surprised she even managed the sentence in one go and the pattern was distinctively similar to something Itachi would speak. It was quite scary how much he could rub off on her.

Her weak smile soon became a solid frown, though, when his eyes darkened at her corrected response.

"And, I , I-I…better get these clothes to the laundry room now."

"I'm certain my son is more than capable of washing his own undergarments."

"Under…?" Usagi absentmindedly looked down slowly to the pile of clothes in the basket, noting the amounts of intimate wear within the collage of fabrics. She looked back at Fugaku and for a very brief moment, there was a small bout of awkwardness that caused the two to shyly avert their gazes. Why did things like this always happen to her?

"I will make note of your…efforts. But I assure you, the help is not required."

"But Mikoto-san…"

"Has left for some time now and is running some errands."

Usagi inwardly flinched. There was no point in making excuses. She was caught and Mikoto was gone.

"You might want to reconsider your endeavors at a more appropriate time."

She bowed her head in defeat and dragged her feet until she was completely out of the house and within a sufficient amount of distance from Fugaku . When he also retreated from the area entirely, she hopped onto the roof and grabbed her headset to let out a loud roar of frustration. "Stupid, Itachi! Where are you?"

A loud sound of feedback noise caused her to flinch. It was accompanied by a loud "Ow" as well.

"I'm right here. Stop screaming."

Her back collapsed onto the roof even as Itachi approached her.

"How did it go?"

The slow turning of her head and frown said it all.

"That bad, huh?"

"I actually never got a chance to talk to her. Your father interrupted."

"My father? How did he get inside?"

"That's what I'd like to know!"

"He must have come through the back."

"What does it matter? You were supposed to be on guard. How the heck did you even make it into Anbu?"

"It wasn't my fault. Some people wanted my help with moving some things. There was no way around it. Why was he here, anyway?"

"He was plotting to kill me."

"Don't exaggerate." He plopped down beside her, the fleeting wisps of white fluff passing by as his only distraction from the recent failure.

"He's plotting something. I know it."

He wanted to tell her to stop reading those stupid comics, that she was worrying for naught. But considering the look in his father's eyes when Usagi was even brought up in a conversation, he knew very well that her worries were justified.

"Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, okay." She released a heavy sigh and slowly opened her eyes to look at the clouds above her. On her right was a little mouse, so she claimed. To the left, a cat face. And when the cat face caught up to the mouse, she giggled softly—earning her the attention of the man next to her. She was certain he thought nothing of it and was simply dismissing her smile as another of her quirks. She wondered if either of her parents was a daydreamer like she was. If she had to guess, she would declare it to be her father. He was, after all, an explorer of sorts. And then she pondered on the Uchiha family, and how similar yet different they all were—each with inherited traits, but with their individual personalities.

"Hey, who do you think resembles your mom more? You or Sasuke?"

"That's such a random question."

"I'm just curious. But I would say that…hmm…that you have a little of both your dad and mom in you."

"Because you're so well acquainted with both of them, correct?"

"Well I mean, I don't know them _really_ well, but there are some similarities even I picked up quickly."

"As in…?"

"You're a workaholic like your dad and you're obsessive compulsive like your mother."

"Work is a common practice not a genetic trait, and I am not overworking myself simply because your parameters of involvement with society are relatively low." He ignored her tongue and lay back down before adding an afterthought. "And I am not obsessive compulsive."

"You so are!"

"How so?"

"Just now, you were moving some strands of my hair out of the dents in the roof and counting the clouds in the sky."

He paused momentarily before a quick recovery. "That just explains how attentive you are."

"According to something I read, counting things and rearranging stuff is one of the first signs of it."

"It's just a habit from my training."

"Ha ha, you're so cute when you're embarrassed."

He grumbled lowly.

"But joking aside, I think it's the reason why you're family overanalyzes things. You just have this need for detail."

"We do not overanalyze."

"Yes you do. Your dad thought you were up to no good and your mom thought you were having an affair. I mean, what exactly made them think something like that? It's weird, you know?"

"Tch."

"If they're anything like you, then I know it started off with something really pointless. Like maybe you accidentally took home something of mine—a pen or an eraser. Your mom probably saw it, knew that it wasn't yours—creepily enough—and thought you were up to something."

"Writing utensils led to the accusations of my supposed treason and affairs?"

"Well maybe not _those_ things exactly but something _like_ that."

"My family wouldn't do something that stupid."

"Well what else could it have been?"

"I don't know, honestly. Probably some miscommunication from outside sources. Someone could have seen us interacting, something relatively simple like that. We probably grew careless and overlooked a flaw in our hidden communication."

"Yeah, maybe. I guess we may never find out, huh Itachi?"

"It's pointless now. Let's just focus on solutions rather than causality."

"Yeah. This is getting harder to do without something happening. So there's only two explanations. Either your mom is playing dumb and doing this on purpose…"

"…which I wouldn't put past her."

"Or this is the result of divine intervention."

He propped up on his elbows and raised an eyebrow.

"The gods are orchestrating everything so this matter will never be resolved."

"Your imagination knows no bounds."

"What? That's what it feels like!"

"This is serious, Usagi. Things could get out of control."

"Now, who's the one imagining things?"

"I'm serious. You don't know how my family is."

"Fine, fine. But what I don't get is how this all got worse after the incident at the station."

"You told everyone I spent the night with you."

She dismissed the statement with a wave. "That doesn't mean anything. It was their faults for being so perverted."

"You told my mother you would bare me children."

"No. I assured her that I would have children…i-in general. Not my fault she makes assumptions."

"Tch."

"It's not my fault and you know it. I don't know how this escalated but I…" her eyes narrowed at his miniscule flinch—one only a trained friend would notice. "You did something, didn't you?"

"No."

"Yes you did! I saw that look you gave me."

He was silent when he stood up.

"What did you say, Itachi?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Uchiha Itachi, what-did-you-say?"

The resemblance she suddenly bore to his mother was rather uncanny and strikingly frightening. "I…might have uttered a few erroneous avowals that held absolutely no conclusive evidence as to their existence but would otherwise guide my mother into a state of nonsensical comportment."

She scrunched her eyebrows and tilted her head. "Huh?"

He sighed and swallowed before continuing. "I told her I had sex with you."

It was much too quiet for his liking. He knew there was an explosive tag ready to be lit.

"YOU DID WHAT?"

"Stop it, alright? I just…"

"Why would you do that?"

"It happened suddenly."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Did it ever occur to you that things would get worse from there?"

"It did, but at the moment it was the only thing I could do."

"You're supposed to be the smart one of the group! How could you fudge this up?"

"Just calm down."

"I can't calm down!" She grabbed her head in frustration and rolled back and forth on the roof.

"Look, I tried to tell her that she was jumping to conclusions, but the woman just wouldn't shut up. So I…I told her I was sleeping with you to get her off my back, okay?" He kicked her in order to gain her attention. "And stop that!"

"Okay? Okay?" Usagi scrambled to her feet to meet his glare. "My reputation is ruined thanks to you!"

"What are you going on about now?"

"My friends! You're the reason why when I went home the other night after some errands, I found three very pissed off looking friends glaring at me and demanding why I did not share the details of my intimate affair with them, especially considering it was _you_."

"Well, did you explain it to them?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure they believed me considering I kept you a secret in the first place."

"Well, that's not my fault."

"Not your fault? You were the one that told me to keep it a secret in the first place. And you were the one that told your mother we had sex when we didn't. Even if nothing came out of the interrogation room when I told them about our training sessions, your mother probably told the whole village that we had an affair because you told her tha…" Usagi's eyes widened. "Training sessions. Oh crap, I told your mom that we were using protection!" She covered her face, horrified with the thought.

"Why the hell would you tell her something like that?"

"I thought she meant combat armor!"

"Well when you think about it, they are kind of like combat arm—"

She was not amused by his line of thinking.

His smirk disappeared. "Sorry. And there's no reason to blame my mother on this. I doubt she told any…one…"

"What is it?"

With eyes closed and breath even despite his rage, he instantly recalled the sounds of hot running water and steam. His mother loved to frequent the hot springs and there was an almost absolute certainty that should she desire to spread information like an infectious virus, that the hot springs would be the first place she would look to in engaging senseless gossip. And it was quite possible that in a matter of time, the entire village would be aware of his supposed affair. He slowly opened his eyes, tired from just thinking of it all. "Onsen…"

"What?"

"Nothing, but I think you're right. She gave us away." He sighed. "And if it makes you feel better, my reputation is ruined as well."

"We're both screwed then, huh? Uh, no pun intended."

"Royally."

"Then, what now?"

"Back to square one."

"Yeah, we'll have to come up with another backup plan. Do you have time tomorrow? We can do it after lunch."

They had said that all week. When one plan went wrong, they gave up and regrouped another day to try once more. But they couldn't keep procrastinating about such an important event for much longer without causing further damage. "No, we're doing this now."

"Now?"

"We have no choice. The sooner we clear this rumor, the better."

Usagi's watch reminded her of the time, and she clapped her hands before bowing her head in apology. "I'm so sorry Itachi, but I really can't right now."

"What? Why not?"

"I agreed to meet up with my friends today. I thought we would be done by now so I told them I would be free by one."

"But…"

"Besides, your father said that your mom already left. So there's no reason to stay behind. There's nothing we can do about it now."

He sighed in resignation before pointing a finger at her. "You _will_ help me resolve this soon."

Usagi nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! And next time, try to guard the place a little better. Naruto could do a better job than you."

"Oh, you're throwing that at my face?"

"Ha ha, yeah. But I'll get going now. Otherwise, I'll be late."

"Fine. I'll contact you later about the details."

"Sure."

The two hopped off the roof to part ways. But when Usagi took her first step out of the gate, she glanced back at the boy and ran back.

"Did you forget something?"

"Um, actually, you're not too busy right now, right?"

"Why? Did you need something?"

"I was just wondering…well…do you want to come hang out with us?"

He blinked away the surprise look on his face.

"It's just that, everyone knows we hang out now and I thought it might be kind of cool for all of us to relax and have fun. You know…like a little group."

"I…don't know."

"We're not doing much. We're just going to visit this new tea shop that opened up. And you'll like my friends. I'm sure you will. Plus it will be good for you. I know you don't hang out with too many people outside your family."

"Usagi…"

"It'll be fun. I promise. Don't forget that you owe it to me."

"Oh, is that right?"

"Yes, because you're the reason that my friends were angry at _my_ supposed treason. It's only fair that you come with as compensation for all the trouble you put me through."

His eyes softened, understanding the endurance the girl had for not babbling to her friends of their meetings.

"I'm not very good with new people."

"I know how shy you are, but it will be good for you."

"_Reserved_ is more appropriate of a term."

"Call it what you want, but in the end it's awkward for you to socialize."

He grunted in agitation to her request.

"Come on. I'm not asking for a commitment here."

"But…"

"It's just tea."

He sighed.

"Don't make me do the face." She pouted her lips.

He glided his hand over his face in frustration before relenting. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

"Don't act like it's pulling weeds. My friends are very nice, and they've wanted to meet you since the secret got out."

"Forgive me if I'm not thrilled with the excess estrogen that I'll have to endure today."

"Well, unfortunately, you don't have a lot of guy friends, so we'll have to do for now."

She grabbed onto his arm and ushered him out of the gate. "You ready?"

"I suppose."

"Okay, I've got to warn you about a few things first."

"Like what?"

"Well for starters, Minako-chan is kind of crazy about Uchiha. I wouldn't say completely obsessed but she might come onto you a little bit."

"Oh joy."

"Mako-chan is a bit on the tough side. Say something she doesn't like and she'll pick a fight with you."

"I just won't say anything at all, then."

"Don't be so grouchy. They won't want to hang out with you anymore."

"That's good to know."

"Ami-chan's at work now but we can meet up with her another time. Right now it'll be just the three of us. And oh, just remember to be yourself, relax and have fun."

"Relax, huh? Isn't that advice you should be keeping for yourself?"

She didn't think she showed any sign of anxiety but apparently he caught onto it well. "I just…I want us all to get along."

"Why?"

"Well, wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to hide anymore? If we could meet each other whenever we wanted to without worrying about who will see us together? And besides, you might like hanging out with my friends. They're a lot of fun."

He had given the former some thought, but a miniscule part of his brain warned that the opposite may actually occur with more people aware of the situation and with the problem having not been resolved. Despite his instincts screaming to take flight, he nodded and followed her along her path.

They continued strolling along the street until they reached a particular area in the park located by a small fountain and a few benches. People were running about and chattering but Usagi continued to look for her own friends.

"Do you see them?"

"Hang on…"

She squinted her eyes from the sunlight in her face and after several blinks, the silhouette of a girl approached the duo rather quickly.

"I see someone!" She began to wave over at it. "Minako-chan!"

"Usagi!"

Usagi parted her legs a little further apart, stiffened her stance and braced herself for the collision as a very energetic Minako clung onto her in excitement.

"I can't believe you're actually here on time!"

"Cut it out. I'm not always late, you know?"

"No, just mostly. It seems you only come early when there's a food incentive in it for you."

"Shut up, you make me sound like a pig." Usagi's glare dissipated when she caught Itachi analyzing her and Minako. "What?"

"Oh, no. There's two of you."

"Ha ha, very funny."

Minako too turned her attention now to the Uchiha before her and shoved her friend out of the way. At first, there was nothing but pure shock as she looked to Usagi who smiled reassuringly at her. She was not imagining it. Uchiha Itachi really was standing before her. Once that sunk in, all formalities were brushed aside and she quickly abandoned her fellow blonde. Minako batted her eyelids and began to show off her sweetest smile. "Where are my manners? Hi, I'm Minako from the Yamanaka clan. Actually, my little cousin is in the same generation as your brother."

He bowed hesitantly. "A-ah. I'm…"

"Well of course I know who you are! Everyone does! It's just a shame Usagi was hoarding you all to herself." She waved an admonishing finger at her friend. "Naughty girl. Anyway, I'm seventeen, about one-hundred and fifty seven centimeters, a Libra and blood type B. My favorite foods are noodles and curry, but I hate shitake mushrooms and my favorite colors are red and yellow. I play volleyball and sing in my spare time, enjoy walks at night with hot men, and look drop-dead sexy in a bikini. I normally have a fear of policeman but perhaps you can persuade me?" She gave him one final wink.

His mind slowly absorbed everything she just said, and he looked over to Usagi for guidance. The girl had warned him that flirting was a major possibility but he never expected anyone to be so brazen with the approach. But as he continued to silently plea for an escape, Usagi simply stood there, arms crossed and head shaking at her friend. Itachi didn't think there could be anyone more insane than her but apparently even he could make mistakes. He cleared his throat to recuperate from the situation presented to him. "That's…umm..."

"So, if there really is nothing going on between you and Usagi…" before she could finish the statement, however, she was roughly shoved out of the way.

"Will you stop your drooling? You've probably scarred the guy for life!"

Minako glared at Makoto who had just arrived and decided to suddenly intrude her conversation with Itachi. She cringed as her friend began to speak far too cute than normal.

"Hello, I'm Kino Makoto from the Kino Dojo. It's very nice to meet you."

"Ah."

"I'm sorry about my friend here. She can be a complete idiot sometimes. She has no idea how _real_ adults handle a conversation." Makoto readjusted her hands under her bust and turned slightly to give him an even better angle at her well-endowed gifts.

Itachi took a few steps away from the intrusive move into his personal space. He was saved from the awkwardness by the other blonde who pushed her away.

"Stop that, you'll poke his sharingan eyes out with those things!" She smiled seductively at Itachi and exposed some skin down her neckline for his viewing pleasure. "Just ignore her. She doesn't even like your family, anyway. She said Hyuuga are far superior to the Uchiha clan."

The Uchiha's inquiring eyes caused the brunette to blush.

"I said no such thing! Simply that…"

"Oh please, you were practically calling them inferior. And may I remind you…"

"Don't give me that lecture. You were over there drooling all over Neji during Gai-sensei's training sessions."

"Well, I find him a bit attractive."

"He's thirteen years old! He probably doesn't even know what an erection is yet!"

"Shut up! You don't know that! And anyway, weren't you giving his teammate googly eyes as well? I saw the way you looked at Lee!"

"He just reminds me of my old sempai. That's all!"

"Who doesn't? Hmm? What about that guy? Does he remind you of your old sempai too?" Minako pointed at an innocent pedestrian strolling through the park. "Hey mister, better watch out. This girl might rape you."

The man in question picked up his pace and disappeared quite suddenly.

"Shut up. There are kids here, you know?"

"And I bet they also remind you of him."

"You see, this is why I don't hang out with stupid people."

"Oh yeah? Well I've got a few words for you!"

"Oh, I'm sure you do."

"Hey, if you don't like it you can just…"

Itachi backed away from the argument and sought refuge with the person he ironically found to be the most sane from the group.

"They're a bit energetic, huh?"

"That's an understatement. I thought I was prepared to handle it after dealing with you but now, I don't think I'll ever call you insane again."

She giggled. "That's good to know. And they're not always like this. Or rather, they are but you get used to it."

"I don't think I want to know them that long."

She smiled and grabbed a hold of his hand. "Oh come on. Just give it some time."

"What were they even doing?"

"I think they were trying to seduce you."

"Yes, brilliantly so. One with her torso and the other with her shoulders."

Usagi laughed and jabbed him in the stomach. "Come on, you." She directed her attention to the two still arguing. "Hey, you guys. Let's hurry up and get a move on. Itachi doesn't have all day."

"Sorry about that!" Minako bowed.

"We didn't mean to get caught up in the conversation."

"Minako-chan, why don't you lead the way to the café?"

"Oh right, follow me! You guys are going to love it. It just opened up a month back and I've been dying to try it out."

Usagi followed the two and slowed down to give Itachi time to catch up. "Don't get left behind."

"I'm starting to think that's the better option."

"Will you relax? This will be fun."

It had nothing to do with the two girls and their uncontrolled behavior. Meeting any group of people was a rather tedious task to him. Fighting, training, acquiring new jutsu, strategizing in combat—they all came natural to him and were much more practical. Why he was so reluctant to a simple exchange of greetings would probably be a direct result of his father's doing. He was completely cut off from that aspect of life. But that smile on Usagi, those pleading eyes and that innocent aura had him completely ensnared in her will. He could barely say no to the girl, especially when she was making an honest attempt to show him the carefree life that was readily available to him.

"I'll try."

It was the best he could offer at the moment.

* * *

Hands clenched and unclenched in a controlled fury as he continued to scribble down notes to a mission he couldn't even remember at the moment. The ticking sounds of his watch were becoming a nuisance. The chatter right outside his office a constant disturbance to his desired tranquility. He was usually a very strict and focused man but found that today he could focus on nothing in particular. His much awaited piles of work sat idly by. He was far behind and needed to pick up the pace. Unfortunately, the severity of the situation was not registering in his mind. _Nothing_ was registering. And the only thing he could see as he stared down at the formulas below him was a pair of bright blue eyes and sunshine hair. The figure frolicked on the pages, teasing and taunting at his lack of discipline. And when it pulled down the bottom of an eyelid and stuck its tongue out, did he slam the book shut.

"Um, sir?"

Fugaku startled himself with the voice. A hesitant Tekka was poking his head in cautiously, a great concern painted on his face. "Sir, I don't mean to interrupt, but your wife is here to see you. Shall I tell her that you're occupied at the moment?"

He sighed. "No. No. Just…send her right in." His wife would have to suffice as a well-earned distraction.

"Hi sweetie. I came over to bring your lunch and check up on you. It's not like you to forget things. Is everything fine?"

She was correct in her statement. Very rarely did he ever forget anything, mostly because after years of constant routine, his movements had become instinctual. When he did stray from his pattern, it was usually a result of stress—stress from work, that is. This time it was a completely different problematic situation, one of which he wasn't sure he could rectify easily as he never expected to be confronted with such an issue.

"Everything is fine."

"Why is it that I don't believe you? Oh, that's right. I'm a woman. I'm far more intelligent than that." She frowned when a sudden gust of dirt tickled her nose and agitated her senses. "Don't you take the time to take proper care of your office?" She shook her head in disapproval when a wipe of her finger over the file cabinets collected a fairly thick layer of dirt. "It's called 'dusting' Fugaku. You should try it more often."

"Hmm."

"Grunts and grumbles. That's all I ever hear from you. It's a wonder your sons ever developed cognitive speech." Grabbing a small cloth from her pocket, she began to go around the room in an attempt to dust off the extensive amounts of dirt that had compiled on every artifact in his office. One particular piece caught her eye. "You know, I can't believe you still have this. Sasuke gave this to you…when was it? Maybe…ah yes. He was two. I remember it now. I told him '_It's daddy's birthday tomorrow. What are you going to give him?'_ Oh! He was so excited. He waddled down around the house and into his room. He worked all night to make this." Mikoto raised the item into the light and frowned. "I never did figure out what it is. Is it a paper weight? O-r maybe some type of ornament?" She rotated it for further inspection.

Fugaku spared a glance at the tiny object. It was ball-shaped and constructed from paper-mâché. Tiny spikes of facial tissue were poking out of it in every direction and a piece of string fell out from a tiny hole. It was a very colorful piece in deed. He didn't realize it until a few weeks later that his son was trying hard at recreating a weapon he saw in one of his scrolls. An air of pride surrounded him at the moment. His second son would also grow into a fine shinobi like his brother. If only Sasuke would not find himself in the same kind of entanglement.

"It's a type of flail."

Mikoto squealed as she gave it a quick blow and put it back on the shelf. "That is so cute. Our son was quite the genius for his age. They both were actually. Why do they have to grow up so fast? I would have loved it if they stayed cute for just a little while longer."

"People have to grow up, Mikoto. The sooner they learn responsibility, the better off they will be in the long-run. Prolonging their growth only stunts their development."

Mikoto placed a hand on her hip as she prepared to lecture her husband. "Well, I read in a book that playtime and games are beneficial for the psychological development of a child. They also work well in socializing them. And you can clearly see that with your sons."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Well, when was the last time you saw Sasuke or Itachi planning out a party or dancing about on stage with rigor and vitality."

He frowned at the thought. "Excuse me if I cannot picture my two sons frolicking about in glee."

She giggled. "I suppose not. But I really wish you would have let Sasuke participate in that play when he was four. He would have made an adorable frog."

"Believe me, if he knew of half the things you had in mind for him to participate in when he was a child, he would fall to his knees and thank me for sparing him the humility his mother wanted him to endure."

"Oh you!" She scoffed and walked over to his pictures, wiping each one carefully. "But speaking of Sasuke, his chuunin exams will be coming up shortly. I take it you are preparing for it as well."

"Yes, while I am allowed to offer some training, I am forbidden to relay any specific details of the test. Sasuke will have to figure it out for himself."

"And do you think he can do it?"

"Of course. He's my son after all."

"Yes, and oh! We should get him a special outfit just for the event. I know of this very cute shirt with a picture of a dragon. The dragon is so tiny and green." Mikoto shut her eyes in excitement and illustrated the details of the dragon with her hands. "He has huge eyes and a short snout. The little wings are much too small for his body and he's burping fire. It was so adorable. I'm sure Sasuke will love it! It looks just like his little green dinosaur doll."

Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we should let Sasuke figure out his own wardrobe for the event."

"You just enjoy sucking the fun out of everything don't you?"

"I yearn to rescue my sons from the great dragon Mikoto's evil clutches is all," he smirked.

Mikoto glared and threw a newly discovered wad of paper at him. "Har har, mister. But just for that, I might get him that shirt for his next birthday."

"Be careful. He might plan your assassination soon after."

She walked over to his desk and blew on a pile of dust toward his face. "Idiot. Anyway, I should probably get going. I have quite a few things I would like to get done today."

"As in purchasing cartoon character shirts for your son?"

She stuck her tongue out. "No. Actually I wanted to buy myself a scarf."

"Ah yes. That is most certainly a pressing matter to tend to."

"You're horrible. I swear. But anyway, I'll get going. Hmm, I wonder if Usagi is free today. I'm sure she could use a scarf as well. Oh, and maybe some matching booties. Shopping is no fun unless you do it with someone else."

Fugaku's grip on his pen tightened.

"In fact, I'll give Usagi a heads up next time she comes over. We can plan out an outing together. And Itachi could come as well. Since she's well acquainted with our son's body, I'm sure she has an idea or two on what to put on it. Heaven knows I can't get that boy to shop. His idea of shopping is grunt, point, purchase. No fun at all. So much like you."

His scribbles became increasingly harsh and he felt the weight of the ink increase its depth.

"Say, now that I think about it…why don't I get Usagi to come to your office. She can come once a week and help you spruce things up a bit. Actually, she may be able to help you more if you ask nice enough."

With more weight on the tip, he scratched right through the surface of the paper and ripped a small line by the formula.

"Enough."

It was so sharp and laced with menace that even Mikoto flinched from her husband.

"I was only making a suggestion."

"Well don't. I do not need that girl meddling into my business affairs nor will I ever need her for any particular involvement with my clan."

"Well, that will be hard to do considering she's already very well involved with our son."

His nostrils flared as he released a sharp snort of air. His whispered words were anything but sweet nothings. "That will come to an end soon. I assure you."

Mikoto was completely baffled by her husband's dark demeanor. She knew him to be reclusive and somber at times but never hostile, at least not this much. And she was so busy having fun and just being a good mother that she never stopped to think twice about her husband and his feelings with the situation. The sharpness of his voice alerted her to a possible dilemma that could escalate gravely.

"You don't care for her at all, do you?"

"No. And if you understand what's good for your son and are truly interested in his overall well-being then you will arrive at the same conclusion I have."

"What conclusion? And what do you mean _well-being_?"

"Itachi's future is something I do not take lightly Mikoto."

"Are you saying I do?"

"You indulge in these little fantasies of yours and drag your children into it as if they were all characters in your little play for you to control."

"How dare you! I love our children and only think what's best for them."

"And letting him gallivant about with some orphan is best?"

"Don't you dare degrade that girl simply because of her lack of lineage!"

"She can't offer our son anything!"

"Why don't you let our _son_ decide that?"

He rose and turned abruptly with both hands clasped behind his back, staring at pedestrians right out his window.

Mikoto's demeanor was suddenly catching up to his and she slapped her cloth on the counter in agitation. "Don't you dare turn your back on me, Fugaku. I will not let this matter rest between us. Do you want me to raise my voi…"

"Have you given any thought to the girl's safety as well?"

"Excuse me?"

"This girl has never lived the life of a clan. She has no knowledge of the work we do and the pressures the come along with it. Tell me now, based on what you know of the girl…does she seem the type to take on the responsibility of an Uchiha's wife?"

"Well, maybe not now. But someday, she could."

"Then you have doubts to her capabilities as well?"

"Capabilities…perhaps with regards to the work we do but that's just based on inexperience, not inability. I'm sure she can work just as hard if she is allowed to."

"But is it her desire?"

Mikoto paused with a soft release of breath.

"The two may get along now, but what if this relationship becomes serious? How well will she adjust to this family? Its needs, how it functions and daily rituals. And if it becomes strenuous for her and her relationship with our son?"

"I don't…I don't know."

"That girl has no idea what it means to be with an Uchiha. There are many responsibilities with the title she'll earn as a matriarch, and I honestly don't believe she can fulfill them. The pressure will be too great. It will consume her and destroy her."

She gave a half light-hearted laugh. "I think you're overthinking this Fugaku."

"Perhaps you're right. In any case, there's no certain anything will come of them. It may only be a fleeting affair between the two."

"But if something did come of it, would you be willing to let it go and accept her?"

He tightened his jaw. "I stand by my previous notion. She wouldn't accept the lifestyle so easily."

"And what if Itachi doesn't want it either?"

It was his turn to falter. He turned sharply to his wife. "Excuse me?"

"What if your son…doesn't want to assume the life created for him?"

"I did no such thing. Itachi has willingly…"

"On your orders, Fugaku."

His eyes were in and out of focus before he regained his composure. "Itachi is a responsible man."

"Something you have exploited, I see."

"He's not being held against his will, Mikoto."

"Then would you be willing to offer him the chance to leave?"

He knew the answer to be no. A caged bird would always flee at first chance.

"As far as I'm concerned, he's made his choice. I think it's time you accept that."

She sighed. "You expect so much of your son. Did it even occur to you if he ever _wanted_ to meet those expectations? And what about Sasuke? Will you be the same way if he decided to court a female outside the clan?"

He was a bit surprised by the statement because it actually never occurred to him. "Sasuke does not have the same burden Itachi does. In some ways, I think him to be more blessed. It's why I allow him more freedom. Itachi, however…I just want the best for him and his situation, Mikoto. Is that so wrong?"

She held her chest as she assessed her next words, if there was just some way to get through to the man. "Fugaku…I know this girl is not your ideal candidate for a wife. I won't lie; she is a bit more impulsive, boisterous and carefree. And that personality is not what you ideally find in strict upbringing, especially from this clan. But…but your son, in the entire time I've known him has _never_ once approached anyone his own age through his own initiative, let alone a woman. This girl _means_ something to him. She makes him happy. Can't you see that? Can't you understand that? Doesn't your son's happiness mean _anything_ to you at all?"

"A good father wants what is best for his son."

"Yes, his son. Not him." She reached out to hold his arm when he made it a point not to counter that claim. "You know kids. The harder you push, the more they push back. Even if you didn't agree with their relationship, they're going to do what they want. You shouldn't underestimate her attatchment on our son. Usagi won't leave without probable cause, Fugaku."

There were thirty six people about on the streets within the last twenty seconds, so he counted. It was a habit he couldn't relinquish, mostly when others were speaking. His wife's lectures tended to have that effect as well. But when he finished counting the tiles of brick in the nearby building, did her final words enter his mind.

"What did you just say?"

"I said, Usagi will not leave without probable cause. The young ones are like that, Fugaku. It gets harder and harder to reach them. They're thick. It doesn't matter how much their vulnerabilities are exposed, they still charge head on."

"I see."

She held his hand and swung it gently while offering him the best pout she could. "Come on, it's not a big deal, sweetie. Just try talking to the girl and get to know her. You might find that you actually like her. If the two have a more stable and long-term relationship, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. And if the two don't end up together, then we have nothing to worry about. So shall we just let things go?"

He contemplated the choices before him and nodded softly. "We'll see how this turns out."

"Good." She kissed his cheek before walking to the door. "Things will turn out well, Fugaku. I'm sure of it."

He nodded a farewell to his wife before his worker Tekka reappeared. He bowed a goodbye to her and placed a few papers on his desk.

"These are the papers you requested, sir."

"Good." He paused and looked up to an awaiting Tekka. "Yes?"

"A-about that order you gave me earlier. I have taken the measures necessary and prepared everything as you asked of me. So…s-shall continue with the execution?"

He sat down, arranging everything in a manner especially trademarked to him.

"Of course."

* * *

Everything about it was delicious. The food, the tea, and the sweet, savory syrup that cascaded down each treat in a delicate flow. She quickly lapped up the drool that escaped her lips. But from across the table, she saw that Minako had the same kind of drool falling down. Only, she was certain the dango had nothing to do with it.

Makoto's hand reached over and slapped Minako's head onto the wooden table. "Will you stop that?"

Minako rubbed her forehead from the impact, certain a huge bump would eventually develop. "Oww! What was that for?"

"Will you stop with the googly eyes? You're making everyone uncomfortable."

Minako's glare slowly dissipated upon looking at the Uchiha across the table. He was delicately drinking his tea, purposely paying no mind to either of them. It was quite possible he was used to the attention, but embarrassed by it nonetheless. And another embarrassing issue was the lack of restraint and dignity with the attraction she currently had towards this man. She was a Yamanaka, after all. It was about time she showed it.

"Eh, heh heh…well, I was just admiring the dango. They're so delicious!" She plopped several in her mouth at once and spoke with a full mouth.

Makoto raised the edge of her tea cup and pressed it gently to her lips. "I didn't realize the Yamanaka lacked grace and style in terms of etiquette.

Minako's puffy cheeks turned red. But she quickly redirected the focus to the other blonde

"Well what about Usagi? She's also lacking in the manners department!"

Makoto turned to glare at her friend who was stuffing dumplings into her mouth faster than she could swallow. "Usagi, slow down! You'll choke!"

Usagi's cheeks were now as puffy as Minako's and she spoke brokenly through a full mouth. "If I don't talk, then nothing goes wrong."

Itachi glanced sideways and smirked before quickly continuing on with his tea. "That's the most intelligent thing I've heard you say all day."

She glared at the snickers from her friends and swallowed her load. "It's bad enough I have Itachi here poking fun of me but all three of you? I'm starting to think this was a bad idea."

Makoto's smiles slowly subsided when she noticed that Itachi was once again uncomfortable—his lack of contributions to the conversations attributing to the awkwardness.

"Itachi-san…wait, you don't mind if we call you that, do you?"

Itachi's ears twitched at her voice. "It's fine."

Minako's smile also receded at his lack of enthusiasm. As a member of the Yamanaka clan, she was used to constant chatter. Itachi's quiet persona made her squirm with her own bout of shyness. "Do you like your dumplings?"

"Ah."

The two girls turned to each other and frowned slightly which made Itachi crawl into his internal corner even more. How Usagi managed to hold conversation with a man that barely uttered six syllables was something they couldn't understand.

"Actually, dango are Itachi's favorite snack. He loves them almost as much as he loves cabbage."

Minako pinched her nose. "I hate cabbage. It gives me diarrhea."

Itachi was mildly shocked at her openness.

"That's disgusting, Minako! Don't bring up your digestive system in the conversation. We're _eating_." Makoto huffed and sipped her tea angrily.

"But it does! Just like eating too much katsudon gives Usagi constipation."

Usagi stopped mid-bite when she felt Itachi's heavy smirk directed towards her. "Oh yeah? Well when Itachi eats…uh…well he…that is…he sometimes…um…there are days when…UGH!" She glared up at her friend. "Why are you so perfect?"

"It's a gift," he replied smoothly. "Life has spared me erratic bowel movements."

She stuck her tongue out.

"You know, if you absorbed more nutritious food such as vegetables and fiber, you may not have such unfriendly visits with your porcelain friend."

"Jerk."

Inspiration struck her when she saw the two exchange their teasing words. And like a dedicated artist up at ungodly hours when motivation makes its strike, she rushed right in—quick to take advantage of the idea. "Hey, Itachi-san, want to know a funny story about Usagi?"

Itachi gave Minako his immediate attention. It wasn't as if he was pressed to humiliate the girl. It started off as mild curiosity. But the idea of retribution for having Usagi exposed to his most humiliating childhood moments by this mother was much too delectable to pass.

"I remember when we were little, Usagi liked to play with this cute dog down the street. Everyday, he would come up to greet her with that little wag of his tail. Well one day, we noticed her kneeled down on the floor with the dog belly up. We asked her what was wrong and she told us that the dog had worms and she was trying to get one out. Well when we got up close, we realized she was actually yanking on the dogs assets, so to speak."

Usagi buried her head onto the table, both arms over her head.

"Yeah, I remember that too! It took us the rest of the day to explain the basic concept of male reproductive organs."

Itachi let out a soft snort at the incident. "Is that right?"

She didn't answer. Her face was now bearing a hue similar to Itachi's sharingan. "Ugh! I can't believe you would tell him that story!"

Minako bared her shiny smile for Usagi to see. "Well, think of it this way. Kochi-chan had a VERY happy ending."

Itachi smirked. "Is this your approach to animal therapy? Perhaps we have an occupation ready for you, yet."

"Yeah, Usagi. If you work the streets at night in just the right way, the dogs might start to leave you higher tips."

"Assholes…all of you."

Makoto's eyes widened and she slapped the table gently in excitement. "Ooh! I have another one!"

"This better not be more embarrassing…"

"Minako, remember the time Usagi had that huge crush on Momiji-sensei?"

Usagi's smile held no happiness. "It is..." Her eyes spied on Itachi, whose right eyebrow rose significantly. She turned around, finding the noren much more interesting at the moment.

"Ooh yeah! I remember that."

"The worst part was the day she decided to profess her so-called 'love' to him. She ran up to him and delivered her message, along with offering a complimentary letter. The only problem was her head was bowed so she wasn't paying attention. In the end, it was Kurenai-sensei who got the profession—and witnesses to it, most of our graduating class."

Minako nearly spewed her tea from the memory. "I so remember that! Because for like a year afterwards, everyone thought Usagi was a lesbian! Poor Kurenai-sensei, to be put in such an awful position."

Usagi's hands clutched onto her ears tightly as her head banged on the table in mortification. "I was seven. Leave me alone."

"Ne, ne, Itachi-san. Do you have any stories about Usagi?"

"Stories?"

"Yeah, like funny stories."

"Or cute stories."

"Anything really."

He was very hesitant in answering. It wasn't so much as he couldn't think of any embarrassing moments of the girl. Far from the case as it had been an habitual habit to cause trouble or find herself in precarious situations. But speaking to people he had only met; it was a difficult task. He had try, though.

"Well, there was the time we stopped by a ryokan. We had just finished some exercises and it started raining."

"Not that story, Itachi! _Please?"_

He smirked. Her whining was encouraging him to continue and he went on, forgetting his anxiety of the other girls at the table.

"It was time for our bath and we parted ways. Or so I thought. As I settled in with other people around me at the male's side, I noticed a blonde female walking about through the entrance. Apparently Usagi didn't know enough kanji to even read she was walking to the wrong side of the onsen. And let's just say, she earned a few whistles that night."

Even Makoto spewed her tea this time. They banged on the table to restrain their loud laughter.

"Oh wow? Were you in a towel? Or did they manage to see the whole ensemble, Usagi?"

"Shut up, Minako-chan."

"Hey don't feel bad. I'm sure you had some pretty decent goods to show, girl." Makoto winked at the tomato blonde.

Despite his friend's current embarrassment, he couldn't help but smile at the other girls' attempts to reach out to him. Usagi was the only bridge connecting them to him and he knew once they began to indulge in embarrassing storytelling that the only thing they were trying to do was make the environment less tense. It was a little more relaxing thanks to the humiliation his friend was subjected to, however, ridiculing her past blunders wasn't exactly how he envisioned the day.

"Actually, while we're on the subject of Usagi, how _did_ she come about meeting you, Itachi-san?"

"Yes. I think Minako and I are quite curious as to how this all started. Usagi said it started with training but is that all you guys do? I mean how did the actual relationship start?"

"I already told you guys; we're just friends."

"So you claim," Makoto taunted Usagi.

"It's true!"

"Well, Usagi, it's hard to believe that when we know now that you two have been secretly meeting behind our backs! Who knows what kind of illicit activities you two engage in when no one is looking. I mean meeting at your place, hanging outside the village, going to ryokan together. It's only natural you two would develop feelings over time."

"But it's NOT like that, I tell you!"

"A likely story!"

Itachi watched as the three bickered. Even thought they were teasing, he could sense there was a hint of betrayal in their eyes. It had been a long time that their friend had kept such a secret. There were probably trust issues now with the girl; things he completely caused through his own commands. They had no reason to argue over it or accuse Usagi of any form of treason considering it was really all his fault.

"I'm sorry."

"Eh?" The three girls turned to Itachi.

"About all this, I apologize."

"Itachi-san, there is nothing to be sorry for."

"Makoto is right. We understand why you and Usagi kept it secret. I mean, with how your clan is and all."

"What do you mean by that?"

Minako shielded herself with her hands. "Hey, I didn't mean anything offensive. Both Makoto and I are from clans so we totally get that there are some things you just have to keep secret. But, don't you think some things were going a little overboard?"

"Minako's right, Usagi. You should have told us from the start!"

"But I…"

"No, that's my fault. I was the one who made her hold her tongue. Please don't hold any resentment to Usagi."

"But then, _why_?"

"My clan is a bit different from the others, and my role even more so. My contact with people outside the clan is kept to a bare minimum so as not to raise the issue of outsiders using me as a means to collect intel."

"Intel?" Minako placed a hand on her mouth to prevent more pieces of dango from spilling. "Sorry to say this, but if you need a good spy, this girl is the last person you need."

"I resent that, jerk."

Itachi smiled inwardly. If they only knew how brilliant the girl really was in terms of concealment. But perhaps Usagi held back her capabilities in front of them—for reasons of her own.

"Anyway, what does your family think of all this, Itachi-san?"

They were all staring now, anticipating words from his open mouth, a fact which made him uncomfortable considering he wasn't sure he wanted to reply at all. The broken conversation, however, was now out of his hands as a shrill voice wafted through the air.

"Mina!"

Minako's face immediately fell in horror, and she proceeded to hide under the table when that familiar voice rang through her ears. "Whatever you do, don't tell her I'm here!"

Itachi, Usagi and Makoto all shared puzzled looks at each other before staring down at a blonde who suddenly buried herself beneath them.

"Minako, what the hell are you do—"

All too quickly, another blonde girl appeared before them. She was much younger and shorter—hair tied back into one long ponytail. Her light blue eyes glared down onto the wooden table, fixated on the not-so-hidden kunoichi before her.

"You can stop hiding from underneath the table, Mina. I know you're under there!"

The knowledge of having been caught caused her to bump her head on the table. "Damn. How did you find me?"

"Gee, I don't know. Ninja's intuition perhaps?" She kicked Minako's legs which were completely protruding from underneath the table. "Or maybe it was that loud mouth of yours."

"Damn it."

"I figured Uncle forgot to tell you of your duties today, or should I say, you conveniently forgot to remember them."

"I'm hanging out with some friends. Can't you go see her today?"

"Nuh-uh. I had to see her yesterday. It's your turn. Uncle will get pissed if he finds out it's past two and you still haven't given her some of her daily treats."

"Fine, I'll take care of it." She crawled out from underneath the table, and when her cousin paused briefly in shock she followed her gaze to Itachi who was curiously watching the spectacle. "Oh, Itachi-san, this is my cousin. The one I mentioned. Ino here is in Sasuke's graduating class."

Ino immediately perked at the name and rushed over to bow before her crush's elder brother. "Uchiha-san, nice to meet you! And might I add you look rather handsome today. I guess good looks run in the Uchiha family."

Itachi sighed. Flirting came natural to the Yamanaka. Such a shame they all started at such a young age in the matters of courtship. And another thought entered his head. This girl was among the many competitors vying for his brother's affection. If only she knew, though.

"Okay, that's enough out of you. Just go back and tell my dad I'll go make a quick visit to Grandma."

"Fine. But oh, just a warning, it's Monday. So you know what that means."

Minako groaned. "Fine. I'll go make sure she doesn't kill him today."

The words had slipped so casually from Minako's lips that it was difficult to gauge the severity of the situation. And when Ino bid a final farewell, Minako raised her hand to gain a waitress' attention.

"What was that all about, Minako-chan?"

"It's my turn today to make a visit to Grandma's house. And of course, I have to bring her some sweets or else she'll be too ornery to deal with."

"Aww, I love Grandma. She's so funny."

"Usagi, there's nothing funny about a senile old woman."

"Yeah, and try living with her. Believe me, she'll drive you nuts!"

"Dealing with the elderly requires patience. You just have to learn how to control your temper."

Usagi patted Itachi's shoulder. "No, Minako has a point. Trust me when I say even you will get pissed off if you stay too long."

"Hey, that sounds like a good idea, Usagi!"

"Pissing off Itachi?"

"No, I mean, why don't we take Itachi-san to Grandma's for a visit? She'll love the extra company and plus, he can see how funny she is."

Usagi and Makoto both bore a devilish grin. It made Itachi gulp.

"Trust me; this'll be fun, Itachi-san!" Minako grabbed her bag of dumplings and walked away from the table. "So long as we don't stay too long, anyway. We'll just stop in for a quick hello and give her the treats. Then we'll let you be on your way. What do you say?"

He really wanted to say no but instead a nod followed her question.

"Awesome! Let's go!"

Minako rushed ahead first out of the dango shop. Her reckless running , however, stopped quite abruptly when a hard chest smashed right against her nose.

"Hey you jerk! Watch where you're going." She pinched her nose to hold back any possible bleeding.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I…" Minako gulped and paused when her eyes traveled from the black pants, to the jounin vest up to the signature emblem on his shoulders. Her accusing finger now dangled and her dry mouth remained opened, the words having lost their way out. She never expected to run into an officer. They always left her nervous, mostly because she always had the perception she was doing something wrong—in which case, she mostly did. But unlike most stern officers, this one had nothing except pure amusement twinkling in his eyes and a small smirk to accompany it.

Itachi walked forward to see what had stopped Minako and felt slightly relieved when a familiar figure stood before him. "Shisui?"

Shisui blinked away the shock of finding his friend surrounded by so many women. "Whew…Itachi. Here I pegged you as a shy man all this time but lo and behold you're surrounded by so many women. I take it Usagi was just the first victim to fall under you. I wonder how many more you will seduce until your thirst for sex is satiated?"

"Very funny."

Usagi stepped forth to save Itachi from more teasing. "Shisui-san, these are my friends."

Makoto smiled widely. "Oh, so this is Shisui. Lucky us, running into two Uchiha men in one day."

"Lucky? Is that right? And how would you fine ladies be acquainted with my identity?"

"Usagi here has talked much about you."

Usagi blushed when Shisui wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Oh, is that right?"

"I think she may have a crush on you." Makoto winked to egg him on.

"Is that right, Usagi-chan?"

"Not at all!"

He released when she shoved his hand aside. "All right. I'll cut back on the teasing for you. But what about these two? Surely you're going to introduce them to me."

Itachi rolled his eyes at his much-too-suave smile. It was unfortunate the man always thought with the wrong head in mind.

"Um, sure. Makoto is this one…"

She bowed at her introduction. "It's nice to meet you."

And this one here is Minako.

"Oh, but this one is already quite acquainted with my chest."

"Well I'm sure it's the best weapon you currently have in your arsenal."

Shisui let out a roar of laughter, half impressed with the girl's attitude."Give me one night, and then you be the judge of that."

"Tch. Why would I do that?"

"It's only natural to aquire more knowledge about a subject you obviously know nothing about."

"Even so, I don't have to jump off a building to test gravity. It's very obvious what kind of guy you are."

"Oh really? And what kind would that be?"

"The kind who put up a bad boy act to compensate for what they lack of in other departments."

He smiled, not at all affected by her words. "Well, aren't you a lighted hanabi? Let me guess, Yamanaka."

"How did you know?"

"The resemblance is unmistakable."

"Just because I'm blonde? Usagi's blonde too!"

"Well, that's not quite what I meant, but we'll save that for another day."

"Whatever. Anyway, guys let's get going. Grandma awaits."

Minako led the way and frowned when Shisui walked beside her. "What are you doing?"

"On my way to Grandma's house."

She laughed fakily and pushed him away with two fingers. "No, you're not."

"What? I thought that invitation was extended to me as well. Unless you have something much more entertaining in store for me." He smirked to instigate a fight but she merely huffed and kept walking.

Usagi tugged at Itachi's sleeve, worried about where the recent events would lead. "Hey, Itachi, is it okay for Shisui to come along?"

Itachi shrugged at Usagi's concerned face. "Regardless, he does what he wants. Just let it be."

The anger eventually dissipated from Minako, and she continued to lead the group down several roads before they all entered the Yamanaka Prefecture.

Shisui let out a whistle of appreciation. "I'd forgotten how nice this place is. Hey I remember that little bench."

Minako's face scrunched in confusion. "What business did you have here?"

"I fucked a girl or two somewhere over there."

She immediately rolled her eyes until Itachi chimed in.

"He's serious."

"Oh. Well they couldn't have been from my family. We have high class."

"Actually Yamanaka are pretty easy."

Minako immediately turned her death glare at him.

"What? I simply speak from experience."

"Hmph! Anyway, if you guys are serious about coming to see Grandma there are a few things you should know. She's crazy, she has bad short-term memory and she hates Uchiha and Hyuuga. So don't mention your last names to her at all. If she asks, just make one up."

"What's her deal with us?"

Makoto decided to answer since Minako was still too angry with him to comply. "We figure she got dumped by them when she was younger."

"Ah. I see."

"But Grandma is really nice. You'll like her."

"She's nice to _you,_ Usagi. To everyone else she's just flat out…"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! GET AWAY FROM MY HOUSE!"

The five whipped their heads around to see an elderly woman throwing paper tags out the window.

"Hello, Grandma. How are you?"

"I'll kill you, son of a bitch!"

Minako sighed as she watched her grandmother continuously throw the tags out the window towards the courier who was simply trying to deliver his load of mail.

"Yeah, Grandma is pretty crazy."

Itachi was taken back by the exchange. "Are those explosive tags?" He was astonished at how carefree the woman was throwing around such a dangerous weapon, especially in a facility so enclosed as a residential zone.

"Don't worry. Dad never gives her real ones. They're just paper slips with scribbles on them. Harmless. They're there to make her feel secure when no one is at the house."

"Oh..okay."

Shisui frowned when the woman continued to curse out the window. "But why is she attacking the courier?"

"We think it's part of her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She took part in all of the Shinobi World Wars and they totally messed her up for life. Now she thinks random people are out to get her. But why specifically the courier? We never did figure that one out."

"Is it too late for us to run?"

Both Shisui and Itachi had taken a few steps back.

"You'll be fine. Just remember what I told you. If I tell her you guys are friends, it will all be okay."

"Uh, sure."

"Come on Minako. Let's not prolong it."

"Yeah."

The group edged onwards toward the house. When they did reach close enough, they could see the old woman eyeing them carefully before excitement took over. She abandoned the window and ran straight to the door.

"Minako! You came to see me!"

"Sure did, Grandma. And I brought you some treats."

"Well, I suppose that's all you're good for. If you're anything like your mother, you probably go outside all the time just to have sex with boys."

Shisui and Itachi were actually quite shocked with the exchange. What was even more shocking was Minako not once getting angry.

"Yes, Grandma. I know. I'm always out doing the sex."

"You're a horrible girl."

"So very bad, Grandma. But I promise to confess my sins next week."

"Good."

The woman gave a few huffs of short breath and staggered over to the rest of the group. With her cane, she tapped the sides of the other two girls.

"Makoto? Is that you?"

"Yes, Grandma. I came to see you."

"That's wonderful. I'm glad you could make it. And you're still so tall! Is there nothing you can do about that?"

"No, Grandma."

"Well then, be prepared to have men pass you up. Tall women intimidate them." She shook her head. "Forever alone…it's quite sad."

Makoto's strained smile was all that could restrain her from choking her to death.

The woman then stumbled over to Usagi. She took a hold of the long locks of hair and gave them a sniff. With a cold, pudgy hand, she slapped Usagi's cheeks and then glided down her neck and shoulders.

"Usagi! Oh, it's you! I'd recognize you anywhere!"

"Hello, Grandma. How are you?"

"Fine dear. Just fine. And I take it you're taking care of yourself just fine?"

"Yep."

"Good. You always were my favorite of the clan. Did I ever tell you that?"

Usagi smiled. The woman had always assumed she was a member of the clan. Despite everyone's efforts, they could never persuade her otherwise.

"You're such a sweetheart. Did you know that? Oh, I'm sure you'll find a nice husband someday."

She giggled. "Thank you, Grandma."

"Hey that's not fair, Grandma! I'm your _granddaughter._ You're supposed to wish _me_ those wonderful things!"

"Yeah, but she's the better one in the family. Her mother wasn't a whore like yours."

Minako's cheeks puffed up. "And I bring you cookies sometimes, too."

"Well _she_ brings me happiness."

"I give up."

Apparently so had her grandmother, for she now had a look of confusion as she made her way before the two men in the house. Her cane bumped the sides of their arms much more harshly then it had with the girls.

"What are these?"

Usagi decided she was more suitable of a person to explain. "These are our friends. Itachi and Shisui."

Grandma narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Are they Uchiha?"

"No, no! Of course not!"

Her cane jabbed Itachi's long black hair. It then settled for poking Shisui's forehead.

"I know an Uchiha when I see one."

"No Grandma! They're from the…uh…"

Makoto immediately saved the conversation. "They're from the Meioh Clan!"

"Hmm? That worthless group? Well I suppose that's better than an Uchiha." She then proceeded to take several pieces of parchment and rub them down each boy's body. Several grains of rice were then thrown on the floor by their feet. Everyone waited patiently as she observed them standing still before the act. And after a few splashes of water in their faces, the woman gave up and moved over back to her granddaughter.

Itachi leaned over to Usagi. "What did she just do?"

"This is Grandma's ritual when she meets new people."

Minako smiled apologetically. "It's to make sure you're not a Kyonshi. "

Both boys were at a loss for words.

"Yeah, we know. Just go with it."

"Okay."

Minako's hands carefully pushed on her grandmother's back. "Grandma let's get you to a chair."

"Kiss my ass."

"Grandma! It's not nice to curse in front of guests."

"I did not lay a curse on anyone today. My chakra level is much too low."

"Okay, okay. Why don't we just get you to the living room for now, then?"

"You're going to hell."

"Yes, Grandma."

"I just want you to know that."

"Uh-huh."

"I mean it. Repent for your sins and salvation will grace you!"

"Yes, Grandma. And I'll first start by offering you these snacks."

The old woman's eyes lit up and she snatched the small tray away before slowly making her way back to the living room.

"I'm going to put the rest of your snacks in the fridge, Grandma."

"That'll be fine, dear."

Shisui waited until the woman was now comfortably seated in her chair before he approached Makoto. "Was all that just happened _normal_?"

"Oh yeah. This is all pretty standard procedure for Minako's grandmother. We think on top of the PTSD and short-term memory loss, she might also suffer from dementia."

"No kidding."

"Come on. Let's go visit her for a little while. Now that she's eating sweets, she'll calm down for a little while."

"Yeah, we can leave when she gets bitchy again."

"Mako-chan!"

"What? It's true."

They waited until Minako returned so she could act as a guide.

"Help me! I'm dying!"

"Grandma, don't yell. We're right here."

"WHAT?" She yelled, but when she saw Minako sitting right next to her chair, she relaxed more. "Oh, okay. That's fine, I suppose."

The woman's breaths became haggard until her head eventually fell forward.

"Is she alright?" Itachi's Anbu instincts made him get up in response to her immobility.

"She's fine. She just pretends to die a lot."

He shook the idea way. "A-ah."

The noise made the woman immediately spring forth with life. "WHAT?"

"Nothing Grandma. We're talking about the weather."

"Is it raining, yet?"

"No, Grandma. It's sunny."

"I want rain! My plants won't grow without it."

"I can't control the rain, Grandma."

"That's why I said you're worthless."

"Horrible. Here now, eat more sweets."

She opened her mouth to comply. After more labored breathing she rolled her head over to Itachi sitting next to Usagi.

"And who would you be?"

Itachi sighed before answering. "U..." He paused at his mistake and the grandmother was now alert to his response. He remembered Minako mentioning that her memory was not as sharp, and so he decided to test that theory. "Ueda Itachi."

"That's a pretty name." Her hands patted his cheeks, raked through his hair, traced the outline of his eyes and poked at his eyelashes. "And you have a very pretty face, young lady."

He glared when Shisui and the girls giggled.

She smacked her mouth a few times before becoming irritated with her own noise. "I want some youkan. Bring me some youkan!"

"Calm down, Grandma. I'll go get it."

"I want it now!"

"I know! Just be patient."

"Piss off, you shit of a whore!"

Minako sighed before getting up. "I'll be right back you guys."

"Hurry and help me. I'm dying, sweetie. I want my last meal, please." she whined and faked a cry.

"I'm hurrying. I'm hurrying."

The woman exhaled deeply before turning over to look at Itachi once more. "Help me. Help me. Will you help me live?"

"U...um"

"And what is your name?"

Itachi grumbled softly.

"Answer me quicker, you asshole!"

Usagi laughed softly at his reluctant response.

"Itachi."

"Are you a Hyuuga?"

"No."

"Good. Those son of a bitches. They killed my chickens, you know?"

Her eyes rolled over to Usagi who was smiling brightly at her. They traveled between Itachi and the girl and after a few seconds of repetitive action, she pointed a finger at Itachi.

"You're trying to have sex with her, aren't you?"

He wasn't quite sure how to respond. Should he be offended, angry, go along with it or simply ignore it and move on? He asked Usagi for her help with the situation but the girl was frozen as well.

"Well, let me offer some advice. Kijoui is good if the guy wants a change of pace. Suspended congress in the bathroom, sixty nine to multi-task and seahorse if you get tired."

Usagi wasn't quite sure what the old woman meant by any of it. Then again, she was fairly random in her speech at any given point.

"And remember, dear, don't settle for missionary each and every time."

"Missionary? Well, I'm not exactly that religious Grandma."

She whipped her head back to her friends who suddenly let out loud laughter over her recent response. Even Itachi was discreetly smiling in amusement.

"What? I'm not!"

Minako walked in and immediately admonished what she overheard. "Grandma, that's not nice! What did your son say about speaking indecently in front of people?"

"I don't know, but I'll tell you what _I_ say. Tell that little asshole he needs to mind his own damn business and leave me the hell alone! I want to die in _peace_!"

"Grandma!"

The old woman dismissed her granddaughter with a wave of her hand and continued rocking in her chair. She peered over her glasses and spotted Usagi and Itachi once more. "Have we met before?"

Before Itachi could even let out a sigh of irritation, he noticed Minako walking over to hand her a plate of treats.

"Youkan! Well it's about damn time."

Itachi frowned until Minako smiled at him.

"They usually shut her up."

Usagi gasped. "Minako! You're just as bad as your grandmother!"

"What? They do!" Minako wiped a few strands of gelatin from the woman's chin before tiptoeing over to her friends. "Let's go ahead and take off. She'll be preoccupied with that bag for another hour."

The group tiptoed out of the area without leaving a trace as to their presence in the room. But after Minako slowly closed the door to the house, two very confused boys were still peering through the nearby window.

"What's wrong?"

Shisui hesitated to speak but after realizing that his friend had no intention of starting a conversation, he decided to answer their unspoken questions. "Is it okay to just leave like this? I mean…shouldn't we stay to watch over her until someone comes?" Shisui wasn't surprised when the woman continued to ignore the lack of company around her. The youkan had really brightened her spirits and become a priority.

"Nah. As soon as she's done with her daily treats, she usually takes a nap. It'll be fine. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

"But I mean, well…you saw her earlier."

"She's crazy, but not completely incompetent."

"If you say so."

"Relax. This is the daily routine. Besides, my dad will come by later to check on her, so no worries." She held a victory hand up to reassure him.

"But anyway, I've got to get going. Mama will want me to check back at the house soon. I've still got some yard chores I need to get done."

"Yeah, and the dojo needs to be mopped. I've got to get that done before the sun sets."

The two girls bowed before slowly retreating.

"Thanks for joining us today, Itachi-san...Shisui-san. Bye Usagi." Makoto was the first to leave after a quick wave at the rest of the group.

"Yeah, same goes for me. Hopefully we can meet again soon."

Minako frowned when Shisui placed a hand on her shoulder. "And by 'we' I assume you're including me as well."

"No. Just Itachi-san."

"Don't be a cold-hearted bitch," he playfully poked her head.

"Tell you what. I'll stop being a bitch when you stop spreading your seed everywhere."

He threw his head back to give credit to her wit. "Giving it up will only make me want it more."

Minako shook her head in disapproval. "I guess it's true what they say. After they abstain, men harden."

A swirl of wind carrying dead leaves circled the group. And after realizing that she was indeed serious, Itachi cleared his throat to respond.

"I believe 'After the rain, earth hardens' is the correct way to say that."

"But I mean, it's the same concept!"

No one openly contradicted the statement.

"Well, I'm heading off now. Let's do this again sometime."

Usagi bid a farewell to the lively girl. Itachi, however, was not as quick to dismiss _his_ friend who was now discreetly following Minako.

"And where are you heading off to?"

"To patrol?"

Usagi narrowed her eyes. "Patrol what?"

Shisui smiled before disappearing. "What else? Our beloved citizens. Ja!"

He grumbled at his friend's obvious intent. "Idiot."

"Don't worry about him, Itachi. Minako-chan will put him in his place. But I think we should call it a day. I'm sure you're ready to get back home."

"Ah."

They walked side by side down the path to their homes. Usagi inhaled a deep breath of fresh air and marveled at her surroundings. The day was actually quite wonderful. Despite a few awkward moments of silence, she was certain Itachi didn't detest his time with her friends. Everyone seemed to get along just fine. And a feeling of relief escaped her mouth when she thought about how much more positive things would progress from here if everyone cooperated smoothly.

"So, Itachi, you survived today. What did you think?" She winked.

"About what?"

"Well…everything. My friends, our outing. How did hanging out with people outside the clan feel to you?

It had been relatively pleasant despite his lack of social skills. Not having to worry about formal affairs and enjoying the company of others with no legal entanglements or business tied to it was a positive change of events. Instead of honesty, however, he replied with his coveted smirk.

"This excursion has been notably stored away as probably one of the most traumatic experiences of my life."

"Oh come on! It wasn't that bad. It was kind of fun on some level, wasn't it? You got to meet my friends…"

"Who spent most of the time making me uncomfortable."

"Uh…well we had fun at Grandma's house. That was entertaining, wasn't it?"

"Yes...a mentally deranged, psychologically warped woman who felt the need to question my existence every time she saw me."

"Hey, she couldn't help that. She's old. But you found her entertaining, didn't you?"

He smiled mischievously. "Yes, Ms. Missionary."

"I told you guys. I'm not into that! I've never done missionary work!"

Itachi let out a low chuckle.

"I haven't!"

"Oh, I believe it."

"Ugh! Whatever," she pouted. "And anyway, I think she's much more normal than _your_ family. At least she has age and a diagnosed disorder. What's _your_ family's excuse?"

"I would say I resent that but you have a point."

"Yeah, and now I know where _you_ get it from."

"That, I do resent."

"It's cute; I think."

"You think psychotic behavior is worth adoration?"

"That's not what I meant. You just have quirks that are cute, that's all. Like holding your sneezes in so no one will see them."

"I don't do that."

She playfully attacked him from behind in attempt to lock him in a tight grip around his neck. "Yes you do!"

"Get off of me, you stupid girl."

"No! Give me a piggy back ride."

"What are you, four?"

"You give Sasuke rides on your back."

"He's my little brother."

"Yeah, but I'm your little sister."

"You're bigger than him."

"Are you calling me fat, you jerk? I'll get you for that!" She tried to lock tighter against Itachi's steel body, but realized he was only agitated by her efforts rather than exhibiting any true pain.

"Seriously, get off. Someone will…"

"Itachi, Usagi…are you two back from a date?"

He glared at Usagi who released immediately and frowned as an apology. His mother bore a fairly large grin—one he could only assume was caused by the recent entanglement between his accomplice and him.

"You did go out on a date, didn't you? Oh that's so romantic! You two are acting so cute together. And Itachi, I always thought you were the shy type like your father. Why, I remember when I first dated him, he wouldn't even hold my hand in public because he was so nervous. So, on our third date …"

The two sighed softly as Mikoto was lost to her own ramblings. Itachi lost interest as soon as his mother began speaking. Her stories of his childhood and her past were becoming something of an intricate pattern. He was sure he heard this particular one approximately eighty seven times. And he realized that Usagi was quickly losing interest as well when she began rubbing her belly.

"Don't tell me you're hungry again."

"What? I mean, all we ate were some treats. It's not like it was a huge lunch."

"It should have sufficed until your dinner."

"I'm a growing girl. I can't help it."

"Keep it up and you'll only be growing in one direction."

"Ha ha."

"Hmm."

Aside from his mother's continuous chattering, the environment was undisturbed. Itachi's eyes carefully surveyed the surroundings from his house, to neighboring houses and the paths in between as well as the roofs and stone walls. When he realized that not a soul was nearby, he leaned closer to whisper in Usagi's ears. "Hey, no one is around or looking. Do you want to…"

"Yeah, let's ditch your mom and go find something to eat!"

Itachi fisted his hand and gave her a good hit on the head.

"Oww!" She clutched her head tightly between two hands.

"You stupid girl, I meant we can tackle this issue together now."

"What issue?" A light clicked on in Usagi's head and she stood up straight with firm resolution. "Oh, _that_ issue! Good point! Ok, I'll start."

"…and then we made out by the patio only to have my father catch us in the act. In the end Fugaku was not allowed to see me for about two months in order for my dad to ensure I wasn't pregnant." Mikoto blushed. "But at the least, I had some intimate moments with him, and I learned he was fully capable of expressing his love to me in front of others."

Usagi laughed uncontrollably. "Really? That's hilarious. Then what happ…?" She stopped when Itachi's arms roughly pushed against her. "Oh…right. Um, Mikoto-san…there's something very important we need to tell you."

Mikoto paused and gauged their serious reactions, taking a step back from the sudden change in demeanor. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" Her eyes narrowed when she caught Usagi slowly rubbing her stomach. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" She glared at Itachi. "You, young man, are in _big_ trouble!" She frantically searched her garden and pulled out a small lawn ornament to strike her son with. "You…assured me…you were using…protection." She huffed and puffed with each blow.

Itachi held out one hand in defense. "I didn't get anyone pregnant! Usagi! Tell her, damn it!"

"Mikoto-san, Itachi's right. I'm not pregnant at all!"

She eyed Itachi warily before throwing aside said ornament. "Oh…well, then. What's this serious talk about?"

"Mikoto-san, you have to first understand that nothing is at all like you were thinking about us."

"I don't think I understand."

"Well, the thing is…everything about me and Itachi has been a complete misunderstanding right from the start! I'm—"

"Yes, you're not pregnant. You've stated that already, sweetie."

"It's not _just_ about being pregnant! Itachi and I are not—"

"Who's pregnant?"

The familiar and deep, commanding voice froze Usagi. She carefully turned her head towards the new presence in the courtyard.

"Who-is-_pregnant_?"

Usagi swallowed hard and recoiled.

Sensing her discomfort, Mikoto immediately intervened. "No one is pregnant, dear. This was all a misunderstanding on my part."

Fugaku's jaw tightened considerably and his glare was redirected over to his son who held his gaze in confirmation to the recent claim. "Good."

"Usagi, you were just about to say something, sweetie. What is it? Something about a big misunderstanding between you and Itachi?"

"A…a-ah…well, y-you s-see…" Usagi's head remained low after she held her gaze with Fugaku whose presence was anything but comforting. She looked over to Itachi who was showing her visible cues of encouragement to continue. She swallowed hard and attempted to construct her sentences, but upon one more glimpse of Fugaku's cold stare, she immediately departed from the venture. "You see…i-it's…nothing really! I just wanted to let Mikoto-san know that all the problems from the other night I was here were a big misunderstanding, and that her son and I are doing fine. Heh..heh."

Mikoto smiled softly. "Well I'm glad you two have resolved your differences."

Itachi sighed in exasperation but couldn't come down too hard on Usagi considering that she was still largely affected by his father's obvious discontent with her. For her sake, it was best to leave it at that and try again later.

Fugaku cleared his throat to regain his audience. "Tomorrow is a busy day. I have a few extra assignments prepared that need to be sorted through with utmost emergence. I expect no delay. The deadline is not optional."

Itachi nodded dumbly. "Ah, I understand." He was mildly surprised, however, when Fugaku turned his attention to Usagi rather than him.

"You can stay in Sasuke's room tonight. I expect you up early before dawn in preparation for tomorrow's work. If you need to return to your house to retrieve any items you deem necessary for the day than do so now. I have a tight schedule to keep so do not waste my time. Understood?"

"I…ah…but…"

"I've discussed this with your team captain. All the trivial duties you had prepared for tomorrow have been excused." He wanted to discard any excuses she had right away. "Is everything clear, then?"

"A…ah. Yes, sir."

"Very well. Until morning."

Usagi's voice found its way back to her as soon as he left. "What just happened here?"

"I'm not exactly sure, either. Kaa-san, did he discuss this with you?"

"No, this is all news to me as well."

Usagi sunk lower until Mikoto pulled her into a hug.

"Oh, don't be afraid of him. He's well-intentioned. He just…has his way of thinking how the world works. That's all. And sometimes, he becomes too caught up in it."

'_Why me'_ resounded in her head, but she already knew the reason.

"I'll go talk to him, Usagi."

"Now, wait a minute."

The two turned to Mikoto who had her hand placed under her chin as the cogs in her mind turned. "Why is this necessarily a bad situation? What if this is his way of reaching out to you?"

"Kaa-san, I don't think—"

"Earlier today, I asked Fugaku to give the situation a chance. I told him that he needed to see Usagi for who she really is. Maybe, that's just what he's trying to do."

Usagi and Itachi worriedly looked at each other, not at all in agreement with Mikoto's reasoning.

"Oh come on! What harm could it do? Why don't you go along with it, Usagi? You might get something out of it, and it will give you a good chance to bond with him—show him what kind of person you are."

"Well, I guess it's only fair."

Mikoto placed two comforting hands on her shoulders. "Don't be afraid of him. Actually, he's probably much more afraid of you than you think. Show him how tough you can be," she winked.

"Okay, I'll try."

"Good, then why don't you grab your things and meet us back here."

"I…"

"Everything will be fine, sweetie. It will all work out. You'll see."

"Okay, then. I'll be right back."

Mikoto waved at her back but frowned when she saw her son in deep thought. "Itachi, it will be fine. Don't worry too much."

"I wish I had the confidence you do."

"What are you worried about?"

He sighed deeply and paused to observe the now light-orange sky. It was clear, no clouds in sight. A twinkle in the distance alerted him to a star and that night would eventually cloak the village. The breeze was pleasantly soft in its blow; leaves fell carelessly into the soft moist grass. A nightingale had made its perch on the branch above his head and began to call out into the premature evening. And as he stared at the pristine environment of his garden, there was a distinct feel of tranquility that only nature had to offer him.

"Everything."

* * *

**End.**

* * *

**Notes:**

1. Kyonshi (also called Jiang Shi) are a type of vampire/zombie creature in folklore thought to inhabit places of China/Japan. They bounce around from victim to victim. Some things that can stop them are purified water and special charms. They are thought to be very obsessive compulsive as they tend to count grains of rice that fall on the floor. This is the reason Minako's grandmother did all the things she did. (You can also put charms on your doors to stop them). Had to throw this in after a dear friend of mine introduced me to some American programming. Anyone seen The Walking Dead? It airs on FX in my country. It's pretty amazing.

2. Youkan are a type of sweets.

**Regarding Reviews and PMs**

I feel there are some things I need to address collectively since many people are asking it.

1. While I am not one for spoilers, I PROMISE you that there will be romance between Itachi and Usagi. Any relationship the two have will occur much later in the story, however. The focus right now is the humor and drama as well as the relationship of characters.

2. It's been a long time so I'm sure many have forgotten. In regards to Sasuke, he is on a mission at the moment with his team. All that will be explained later. But he is scheduled to return in the next chapter. I just felt he wasn't needed at the moment as it would have interfered with the antics of the Uchiha family and Usagi. Not to worry, he's pretty much good to stay starting in chapter 9. And you should see some interaction between him and Usagi.

3. Other characters that I confirm as of the moment are Ami, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Haruka, Seijuuro, Hotaru, and Michiru.

4. Usagi's past will not be explained in full detail although there will be the obligatory flashback chapter in the future. It will shed to light some things about her but I prefer to keep her past a mystery.

5. To reconfirm, Usagi's teammates are as follows: Seijuuro(Alan in the English anime version of SM), Hotaru and her captain Haruka.

Kasumi: I wanted SO much to reply to your review, but I will definitely be giving away too much if I did. You shall see many chapters later.

BIG thank you to everyone who is still reading this. Your love is felt and appreciated!

News:

**SasuSakuMonth**

It's that time again. SasuSaku Month is back for another go. Prompts will be posted up on March 28th and the actual event will take place in July. This gives people plenty of time to start working on their contributions. If you are interested in the event, want more information, or need links to the LiveJournal/Deviantart/Youtube accounts, PM me and I'll hook ya up! Good luck to any possible contributors.

**Hierarchical Complexity**

I have been working very hard trying to find time. Contrary to popular belief, I was not suffering from writer's block. I already had the story planned out, just not the time to write it. My work schedule is very demanding. Thank my betas for working a whole day/night with me to get this edited in time before another month passed. I love you guys! And readers, keep showing me your support in your reviews. They really inspire me!

**The Language of Flowers**

How many of you love this story as I do? Well, I have been wanting to see an update for this story myself. It's been... a year maybe?...since there was another chapter out. I grew worried so I contacted Moony92 in order to see how she was and what the status of this story is. After some time, I DID get a private message. Apparently, she has started college and it is consuming quite some time. For those of you who have not attended college, it is imperative you understand just how difficult it can be. The workload becomes too much to endure at times you feel like killing everyone around you because of it. And because of this stress, she has not managed the time to update. Take that and some writer's block and you've got one limbo story. I write this to let everyone know Moony92 has NOT given up on the story. She loves it, holds it dear and would love to continue were it not for those problems. Please, do not keep pressuring her into finishing the story. Demanding an update does nothing to relieve her of these problems and help her progress. Instead, to all those still interested, let's show our support.

Send her a private message with "Language of Flowers" as your subject. Tell her how much you love the story and offer a GOOD method for getting rid of writer's block. Be as creative as you would like. Also, offer some GOOD suggestions of what you would like to see in the story. You have no idea how much this kindles the fire in our minds. Be as specific as you can be. Offer some scenes you have played in your head. Finally, let her know you support her no matter what and at the end, tell her IceHaze sent you. ;3 Good luck!

* * *

**Preview of Chapter 9**

Usagi deals with some 'competition' and her patience for the clan is put to the test.


	9. VIII Abstract

**Disclaimer:** They own Naruto. And then they're going to own Sailor Moon...OH MY GOOOODDD!  
**Warnings:** Caution: Flammable.  
**Author's Notes:** Wow, it's only been like a month (give or take). Amazah. As a warning, this chapter is Ubersuperspecialwicked long. But it was necessary as you will see. Hope you enjoy the long read. It's really light reading when you think about it. You can do it while sipping your tea. All six gallons of it.

* * *

**Abstract**

* * *

The sight of his plainly adorned walls had never looked so inviting. He inhaled the scent of his room. It was a mixture of oiled weapons, newly washed bed sheets and the scent that was distinctly his. There was a tad of something else in the air, but he passed it off as his mother having intruded his room while he was gone. Too exhausted from having sprinted all the way home, he released one heavy yawn as he began to pull at the shirt over his head. A quick change into shorts and he collapsed onto the futon, ready to let the night consume him into a deep slumber. The mission was exhausting and horrible, one from which he wasn't even sure he would be returning home. And he promised himself if he ever did make it back, the futon would be the first to receive his unconditional love.

He smiled as his cheeks felt the tickling sensation of silk. His nose inhaled the soft scent of berries and fresh linen. Normally he would admonish his mother for the feminine scent that would stain his sheets, but at the moment, he worshipped them as they offered comfort. He shifted his feet around and nestled more into his comforters. He grabbed a hold of his pillow and rested his cheek on the soft contents. His mind began to drift into sleep soon after. The first image that greeted his mind was a gentle smile and familiar locks of pink. The figure embraced him into a warm hug, and he let out a sigh of content as he gave himself up to the wonderful feeling. He embraced back and held tighter, wanting nothing to disrupt the moment of peace. A cold cheek, however, had other plans.

The boy frowned immediately. Something was not quite right. He patted the lump beside him and realized it was his covers. Before shaking it off as his tired state and nothing more, the pile of lump moved a tiny fraction of a centimeter. As far as he knew, they didn't have any pets; but there was no telling what his family had done while he was gone. Carefully, he reached out and patted the lump more thoroughly. It moved again. Another pat and wiggle later alerted him to a new predicament. No, this wasn't an animal at all. It was a person. He frantically looked about the room. Had he ventured into his brother's room in such a sleepy state? No, not at all. The room was most certainly his. But then..?

A tiny shock of electricity started to flow from his toes, up his spine and to his neck the moment he felt soft delicate fingers tickle his sensitive legs. His skin was full of goose bumps and his hairs stood on end. When the figure under the sheets enveloped his entire bottom half into a tighter hug, his mouth fell open in shock and fear. He moved aside the covers slowly until strands of blonde hair poked from underneath. His eyes widened. This _was_ his house. He _was_ in the right room. The hug became tighter and the feeling more intense. He made a brave move and shoved the covers aside. And right below to greet him was a blonde in a fetal position, reaching over to find the covers that had mysteriously disappeared. After some struggles, she opened her eyes groggily.

Sapphire met obsidian before a high-pitched screech scratched the air.

"What the hell? _Usagi_?"

"S-Sasuke?"

"What the hell are you doing in my room?"

Usagi frantically searched the room, trying to recover from the recent shock. "Uh, well, you see. The thing is I kind of…"

"Naruto put you up to this, didn't he? That fucking asshole. I'm going to kick his ass next time I see him."

"No! It's not that at all. I'm actually here because of your dad."

His eyes widened.

"No! Not like that! I just meant I have some business with him."

"What business do you have with my father?"

"I'm not sure, but your brother is involved as well."

He was sure his face was glued to its previous shocked expression.

"I didn't mean it like that either!"

He blinked and pinched the bridge of his eyebrows to process everything. "What the hell are you talking about? Look, you know what? I don't give a shit. Just get out of my room! I'm tired, and I don't feel like dealing with your ridiculous crap right now."

"It's not my fault. Your dad said I could stay in your room."

"Why the hell would he say that?" Surely they weren't replacing him. He knew his relationship with his father to be strained, but this was going overboard.

"Uh, I'm not sure either. But I do know I'm supposed to be working with him or something…"

He ran a hand through his face before pulling the girl up and leading her to the door. "I'm hallucinating. I have to sleep."

"But you're not. I'm really..."

He shoved her out of the room before the sentence was over. "I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'm too tired to deal with it. Go find somewhere else to sleep if you have business with my family."

"But where…?"

_"Sasuke."_

"AH!"

Usagi clutched her pillow as she jumped back a meter from the voice. "Damn it, Itachi! Don't scare me like that!"

Sasuke rubbed his eye in order to break the illusion. But after realizing his brother was also addressing said mirage, he became aware that Usagi's presence was very much real. It was not a hallucination due to sleep deprivation. What was more unsettling than that was his brother who seemed to be gazing at the girl quite familiarly. He narrowed his eyes.

"You two know each other."

Itachi rubbed the back of his neck in guilt while Usagi shielded her face with the pillow.

"But how…?"

"Um…well…actually…your brother and I…"

"You and Itachi what? What the hell is going on?" He glared at Itachi. "Why the hell was she in my room?"

"It's a long story."

"So, then she _does_ have business with you?"

"Yes, we're…well, it's complicated."

He stumbled backwards into his room. "Are…are you two having an _affair_?"

The shadows concealed much more than their surprised faces.

"No, it's like this. Usagi and I…"

"What's going on?"

One look at the figure on her left had Usagi jump straight into Itachi's arms from fear at the monster before her. But as soon as the creature entered the minimal light in the house, she realized it to be no more than Mikoto in her masking cream. She held her chest to slow her breathing down.

"Oh, it's just you Mikoto-san."

"Yes, I heard a scream and then…" Mikoto blinked at the young boy on her left. "Ah! It's my baby boy!"

Sasuke struggled against his mother's hold, careful to avoid the cream from splattering on his own face.

"Kaa-san, enough. You're squeezing too hard."

"I know. I'm just so excited to see you. And now I know what all the commotion is about. Oh Sasuke, we're so glad you're home. How was your first big mission away from the village?" She began to glide her hands up and down his body. "Are you hurt? Are you hungry? Do I need to sew anything up again?"

"Kaa-san, please. I'm sure Sasuke is very weary from his first mission. Let him rest for now."

"Yes. I suppose you're right." She pinched his cheeks tightly. "But as soon as you wake up, you tell your mother exactly what you want to eat. I'll cook up all your favorites. Okay, sweetie?"

Sasuke blushed at Usagi's barely concealed smile.

"Yes, Kaa-san." The blonde's smile alerted him to the previous troubles. "But I still want to know why this one was in my bed!"

"Usagi? Why she spent the night, that's all."

It wasn't as if having the girl over was a natural occurrence. What the hell did he miss?

"I'll explain everything later, okay sweetie? You get some rest for now."

Itachi sighed at the prospect of his mother 'explaining' the situation to Sasuke.

"Ah. I'll see you guys in the afternoon, then."

He gave Usagi one final wary glance before he was certain the girl would not follow him back into his room.

"Well, it's almost time for me to start my morning so I will leave you two alone. Usagi, you let me know if you need anything sweetie."

"I will." She waved a goodbye before turning to Itachi once again. "So, where do I sleep now?"

"You can just take my room for now. It's almost time for me to go to work anyway. I won't be getting anymore sleep this morning."

She yawned deeply but nodded along, remembering to apologize to Itachi and his family for having disrupted them from their sleep.

"But what about me? When does your dad want me to get up and go to work?"

"Just stay in my room for now. I'll tell him that I'll personally get you when it's time."

"Cool. In that case I'm just going to bed. I want to enjoy my dreams a little more."

"Foolish child."

"What? They were good dreams. There was a mountain of ice cream, a lake of pudding and a great big glass of strawberry sundae with sprinkles and chocolate syrup." She stretched her hands wide to demonstrate the model sized version of her dream sundae. The idea of enjoying such a wonderful snack sent her spirits high and she twirled around to hug the imaginary glass tightly.

"U-Usagi…"

Usagi rubbed her cheeks along the cold glass of ice cream. She frowned when the glass's hands shot out to her shoulders. As soon as her body processed her surroundings, her vertebrae vibrated from a cold tremor as a familiar glare stabbed her eyes.

"G-good morning, Uchiha-san."

"Will you kindly remove yourself?"

Her body offered one meter of personal space within seconds.

"We have a long morning ahead. Get dressed and report to the kitchen in approximately ten minutes. Do not waste my time."

"Ah."

"I meant the girl."

"Huh? Me?" Usagi pointed at herself.

"Well surely I am not referring to my wife."

She blushed. "Yes, sir."

"You, Itachi, are not needed until noon. You can stay and tend to the house until then. I expect to see you on time."

"What do you want with Usa—"

"That will be all for now."

Usagi backed into the wall to give Fugaku the space he demanded as his heavy steps echoed in the hall.

"This sucks. I wanted more sleep. I'm so tired! But oh well. So do I just follow him or something? Am I supposed to bring something with me? I mean, he didn't say, but like do I pack a bento, some weapons, paper, pen…what exactly am I doing?"

He honestly didn't know any advice to give her in regards to preparation. His father caught him completely off guard with the request and losing that momentary control was frustrating enough without him having to worry about the girl's safety.

"Just follow him for now."

"Okay, I have my backpack anyway so I'll just take my essentials."

"Usagi…"

"Yeah?"

Usagi was no longer smiling when she saw Itachi, for there was no humor in _his_ eyes.

"Stay on guard and if anything at all happens, you come straight to me. Understand?"

"Um, yeah sure. Okay."

"I'll be in the house until it's time for me to go to work."

"It'll be fine, Itachi. You'll see. He's probably just going to have me do some paperwork or something."

"Even so, keep your guard up. My father may not be a problem, but there are males working in the establishment as well."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I suppose you'll have to learn on your own. Just don't let anyone push you around. If they mess with you too much, just warn them you'll come to me. Got that?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Go ahead and get ready. Your time is running low."

"Okay, see you then Itachi."

It was the fastest she had ever gotten dressed. If Itachi was any indicator to how his father was, then he wouldn't tolerate tardiness. But her anxiety had risen further as he packed his bag and was now exiting the kitchen.

"I…um…"

"You're late. Breakfast time is over. We move on to duty now."

She bit her tongue to stop the wailing from pouring out her mouth. How could she function without breakfast?

"Fugaku, let the girl at least eat some rice."

"No, Mikoto. We're already running behind as…it is…"

Both Fugaku and Mikoto blinked in awe at the rare sight before them. A flash of yellow lightning moved quickly to the table. An entire bowl of rice disappeared in seconds flat. Milliseconds later, a plate was missing two fish. Vegetables disappeared soon after and seconds after that, an entire glass of sweet orange juice was demolished. The streak bounced off to the counter to grab two napkins and several rolls of bread to be stuffed in a bag. It then bounced to the sink to run some water before it struck the counter again. The magic act ended as soon as the little bolt appeared right before Fugaku.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Fugaku recovered before Mikoto. "Y-yes. Well, let's move on."

"Hai!" She waved a happy farewell to Mikoto who whispered words of encouragement and luck to her.

"Don't stray and keep your form straight."

Usagi stopped marveling at the darkness around her. She was so fascinated by how everything looked at a time she rarely awakened that she didn't notice she was falling behind. "Yes, sir." She immediately mimicked his posture and strides.

"I have your assignments ready for you today. You will be working alongside several coworkers of mine. Tekka, in particular. He has all your work for the day ready."

"That's cool."

"That is not the proper protocol to address your commanding officer."

"Oh, uh…I mean, sure!" Usagi began to stutter more as his lips thinned. "I mean…okay, sir!" Her feet stomped the ground and her hand hit her forehead in a formal salute. It was what she had seen in the Konoha military. Surely that was the same as the police?

He still wasn't pleased by her overly enthusiastic and incorrect confirmation but accepted the response as the best she had to offer for the moment. "We'll start off with some light work and then you can move on to the more grueling tasks."

Usagi almost jumped in excitement. What was he having her do? An espionage assignment? Was she being sent into some neighboring post to infiltrate a base? Or perhaps she was going to do some detective work? She recalled reading a manga about a pair of detectives investigating a crime about some opium deals. Maybe she and Itachi's father would be led to an empty warehouse where the two of them would team up to take down the bad guys that ambushed them. Or even better, what if they used their special unit of nin-ken to chase down thugs as they terrorized the streets of Konoha? Yes, that would be the wonderful start of some amazing new venture and career. Then her face would be on the bingo book of every evil villain in the world, and she could establish her reputation as Usagi—the champion of love and justice—just like her favorite manga character.

The possibilities to what the day had in store for her were endless.

"Remember that this is a professional setting. Before we go in there, I want to address…what is that?" Fugaku was stopped by a bizarre object hanging off the girl's back. He wasn't quite sure what it was and was certain he had never seen such a monstrosity before in his life.

"Oh this, it's a gift from one of my friends. She was supposed to get me a cat one, but all they had were these. But since I like both animals, it really doesn't matter. It's still pretty amazing for its function. See, it looks like a plush toy but if you look carefully at the back, there's a concealed zipper in there. I use it to put weapons and stationary stuff in there whenever I walk around the city. I think it's cool because no enemy ninja would ever suspect me to carry this and use it to hide stuff. Plus it kind of looks cute and I really…"

Fugaku was either uninterested in her personal anecdote or insulted by the lack of courtesy to an officer of higher rank. Usagi immediately regained her former formal position.

"I mean, it's a penguin backpack, sir!"

"Yes, but what is it doing here?"

"Well, I need to carry my things, sir!"

"I…well, next time try to pick something a little more professional."

Usagi's lips quirked to the side as she pondered on the thought. "Oh um, do you think sea otters are more professional?"

There was a moment of silence as he debated on whether or not that was supposed to be some type of humorous remark. But the girl's eyes conveyed every emotion. She was indeed serious.

"Let's just get in the building. We have a long day ahead."

The building was so much quieter than the last time she visited. But given the time, she wasn't at all surprised. With such a calm atmosphere, there couldn't have been much she had to do that was difficult.

"Tekka here is going to be supervising you for the most part. Do as he tells you."

Tekka bowed before Usagi returned the gesture.

"Sir, I have the folder for you regarding the attack on the nearby post west of here. The hokage is sending one Anbu along with your group to keep surveillance."

"Very well. Hand it here."

Usagi nearly squealed as Fugaku read the pages of notes. Perhaps this was the task he had in mind. It would be a perfect opportunity to showcase her talents as a member of Team Haruka.

"I'll be in my office for a moment. I take it you can handle the girl?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Dismissed for the moment."

"Ah."

Usagi waved a goodbye to an annoyed commander.

"That's not the proper protocol to address the captain."

"I'm not quite sure what this 'protocol' is. I've never done police work."

"A quick confirmation and nod is all you really need. Just let him know you understood your orders. Waving is something you do with friends, not your superiors."

"Superiors, huh? Is that how it goes?"

"You're going to be a handful. I can tell. Well, come along. We have much to do today."

Usagi bounced right behind him until his questioning eyebrows alerted her to the possibility that bouncing was not proper protocol either.

"So Tekka-san. What are we doing today? Are we going to investigate that attack on the nearby town?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Well…are we going to do some other crime investigation? Like an illegal ungerground operation?"

"Not at all."

"Oh…um…then are we going around patrolling the area? You know, like those crime fighters in manga that stop thugs on the streets?"

He raised his eyebrow at the peculiar reading material before leading her to a closet. "Not that either."

Usagi frowned when Tekka opened a closet full of cleaning supplies.

"So…we're going to clean up some major murder scene?"

"Actually, the captain wants you to start the day by sweeping and mopping the floors."

Usagi blanched. "Really?"

"Yes. The earlier you get this done, the better. We get it done every morning so that it's clean by the time most workers arrive."

She clutched onto the pail, rags and broom handed to her. "Oh, um…interesting."

"Sweep up first and then you can wash the floors. We're out of mop heads, so you'll have to settle for using this pail for water and cleaning out the whole floor by hand."

It wasn't as if she was late for anything, so why was he already handing her down a punishment similar to what she suffered in the academy whenever she decided that bird watching was more significant than arriving to class on time?

"Remember to do all the floors minus the offices."

"Hai…"

"I'll be back to check on your progress in an hour."

She started in the hallways before moving anywhere else, angrily grumbling to herself when several officers seemed to make it a point to travel everywhere she just finished sweeping. She wondered if they were purposely trying to track dirt everywhere. The problem persisted as she began the tedious task of washing by hand. Mud was beginning to track everywhere and she growled when she backtracked her work. As she continued to scrub, she frowned down at the ground. The floor looked as if it had seen better days long before her birth.

The task was not amusing at all and she lost interest within minutes. But as she wiped one tile, she challenged herself to push forward to the next and the next until soon enough, she was chasing her own reflection on the floor. Before she knew it, she was no longer Usagi the cleaning lady but rather, a soldier running down a field on her horse. She raced herself down one hallway, through the lobby, into the main entrance way and down another hallway. Sounds of racing music escaped her mouth. "Usagi takes the lead by several meters! Folks, this could be a close race!" And had she stopped to take in the surroundings of her invisible track, she would have caught on to the stares of several officers. It wasn't until she nearly ran down a worried Tekka that she stopped.

"Tekka-san! I'm sorry! I was just um…"

"What in the world are you doing?"

"Cleaning the floors."

"You're doing it quite loud."

"Well, actually it was getting boring so I decided that instead I would turn it into racing game. See when I was little, I used to make up games to make chores easier to do. Like making my bed was building a castle fortress. Then I would have a sword fighting competition with my friend whenever we dusted. Right now, I was just on my horse, racing down the tracks."

Rumor had it that she was a peculiar girl. They didn't realize the half of it.

"Let's move on to the next task."

"Okay! I'm ready!"

"Captain wants you to take this and this…"

Usagi oohed at the strange instrument and chemical in her hand. "Is this that stuff you use to spray on people's eyes if they annoy you? Am I going to be undercover and take down some illegal syndicate with these?"

"Actually that's a special pick and that there is an all-purpose cleaner."

"Huh?"

"You'll be working on toilets next."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. You can start with the employee private bathroom and then move to the public ones. Make sure you get those urinals as well."

"Tekka-san…"

"Yes?"

"What's a _your-a-what_?"

"I…urinal! You know…"

Usagi stared blankly.

"That place where men relieve themselves."

"But I've never watched a man use the restroom, so I'm not sure what they are."

He stuttered momentarily. "Just go in the restrooms and clean everything you see."

"Okay! Will do!"

They were just restrooms. It wasn't a big deal. Just a little wiping, a quick rinse at the sink and some trash to collect, and then she would be out of there in no time. But apparently she missed the memo which stated that men's bathrooms were nowhere near as pristine as women's bathrooms. There was no scent of fresh potpourri, no mirrors and counter to look at yourself after you were done, barely any sinks to equal the amount of stalls and not even so much as a sofa to sit on while you wait for others. Instead all she saw were a few stalls, some things she understood to be what Tekka was speaking about and a roll of paper towels. A few other things she noted was a sticky floor, which she rather not let her mind linger about, and a very putrid smell of stale urine and sweaty armpits.

"Well, it's not going to get clean on its own."

Sucking it up and mustering some courage, she bore a mask to cover the scent, slapped on some gloves and got right to cleaning the bathroom. This was a challenge, if nothing else. By the time she was done with this bathroom, it would reek only of _Essence of Usagi_.

"Then she just threw your clothes out the window?"

"She had to. Her father came home. He couldn't very well find me…there…"

Usagi wiped the sweat from her brow as she finished up the final touches in the bathroom. As she was done setting a vase of flowers in the corner, she finally took notice to the sounds of doors opening she heard earlier as well as two men standing before her in complete confusion. They looked at the front doors as if to assure themselves they entered the correct room.

"This is the men's bathroom. I'm just here cleaning it up."

The men stood before her, not once moving.

"Don't mind me. Just pretend I'm not here."

She hummed to herself as she splashed sprinkles of water over the vases of flowers she found lying around the establishment and rearranged them delicately.

The men cautiously stepped around her and approached their destinations. Usagi watched with fascination to their actions.

"So that's how that works," she whispered.

The man blushed before Usagi followed suit and stepped back. "Sorry! I wasn't…I was just…I'm going now!"

She took her bucket and ran.

"Usagi, are you done yet?"

She put away her cleaning supplies just as Tekka arrived to check on her.

"Yep! I got them all clean. I think you'll like it better this way."

He raised an eyebrow even as two men exited the bathroom.

"Hey, girl. That bathroom actually smells really nice."

"Yeah, for a second I thought my wife was here."

Usagi smiled and waved farewell at the boys. "You're welcome."

"Good job, then. Shall we get a move on to the next assignment?"

"What assignment do we have next, Tekka-san?"

"The captain wants you to get some outside work done. The first task is repainting the old fence that borders headquarters."

"Ooh! I love painting. I used to paint all the time when I was younger."

"Good, then this task should be relatively simple for you. Take these buckets here and this brush and get right to work. Then after you're done painting, I'll give you the shears so you can start cutting away the hedges from the area."

"Okay, sounds good."

The fence wasn't too big but she did understand the necessity of the job as the old white paint was already well chipped away. It exposed a very old dusty wooden fence. The height of the fence was not that much taller than her and she sighed in relaxation at the thought of sitting down while painting away. But she frowned at the buckets. She wasn't told what color or design to paint the fence.

The sun's rays beamed down on her as she observed her canvas. It was mid-morning and yet the sun was already alerting her to a potentially hot day. According to a weather report in the paper, it was supposed to reach thirty one degrees Celsius by noon. At times like these, it was always best to just stay inside or jump into a big lake of water. Instead she was stuck in a heavy uniform under a hot sun. But it was the very thought of freshly flowing water pouring down her face that inspired her next masterpiece.

She began slow strokes at first, making sure to get the patterns correct. First came the small patches of grass, then the sparkling water. After that, she drew the focus of the painting. One hour later, she smiled at her own work and dubbed it complete and perfect. Surely, they would appreciate the creativity behind the fence. It was an improvement over the plain old boring white strokes they bore at one point.

"Usagi, come over to the back of the building!"

"Coming!"

She gave one last smile of pride to her work before moving on to find Tekka.

"Did the painting come out okay?"

"It came out perfect."

"That's good to hear. I just wanted to show you the supplies for the yard. Take these to cut the tall grass and these to take out all the weeds. You might have to pull most by hand, though."

"That's fine. I know how to do it."

"Good. I'll report to the captain about your progress. Put all the paints and garden tools in that shed when you're done. Come inside as soon as you finish. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

When he was sure she could handle the shears without hindrance, he stepped away from the vicinity. His captain awaited him in the office, expectant to his report of everyone's progress.

"Tekka, is everything progressing smoothly this morning?"

"Yes, sir. I have the reports on the attack of the post as well as the assigned squad prepared. In regards to the hokage's request for information regarding some rogue ninja from team seven's recent mission, I had that delivered to intel early this morning."

"Good. Now just wrap up yesterday's meeting and have Yashiro prepare the weapons for the shrine and that will be all for the morning. You can continue your regular assignments."

"Yes, sir. But, um…"

"What is it now?"

"That girl, she's still here. Do you want me to dismiss her as soon as she is done with the yard work? She's done a lot as it is, unless you want her doing some administrative work."

"Occupy her for a little while longer. Her presence is still…required so to speak. As for her assignments, I'll leave her under your wing for the time being. Use her as you please."

"Yes, sir."

"And also, I would like you to deliver that message now, Tekka."

"I…yes, sir."

"Noon, understood?"

"Ah."

A man with white hair rushed into the office, out of breath. "Captain, there's a sea otter on the side of the building!"

"A what?"

"A sea otter, sir!"

"How did it get…? Never mind. Just remove it and send it to the Inuzuka clan to take care of."

"No, captain. I mean, it's painted on the fence!"

The first thing that came to his mind was a penguin backpack, a blonde-haired girl soon after.

"And also the hedges have been trimmed into various animals."

"Animals?"

"Puppies and kittens, sir!"

Fugaku rubbed his temple and sighed as he glared at a nervous Tekka.

"Captain, I assure you that I didn't know she would…"

"Just deliver the message."

He heard several men walking by chattering about the lounge's sofa now located in the bathroom along with the scent of freshly grown sunflowers and jasmine wafting in the air.

"And hurry, _please."_

"Yes, sir."

Perhaps bringing the girl was a mistake after all. Either way, they had to hurry along. Otherwise, he wasn't too sure the establishment would still be standing if they prolonged her visitation rights.

* * *

He wanted nothing more than to take the opportunity of his newly acquired leisure time and enjoy a quiet reading session to himself. Very rarely did his father tell him to report for duty midday, hours beyond when he was normally scheduled to report to headquarters. The man was up to something and he spent the morning hours contemplating the torture his father had concocted. When no surprises greeted him, he dismissed the idea momentarily to indulge in some personal reading. Although he was a bit suspicious and worried for Usagi's sake, he couldn't deny that he felt some form of happiness and relief to having some time to himself. The soft footsteps outside the door, however, alerted him to the simple reality that such would not be the case today. Life had a way of taunting him with the prospect of peace.

"If I told you to save it for another time, you wouldn't listen to me, would you?"

"No. I have a lot of questions now that my mind has fully processed what happened this morning."

He sighed and gently tossed the book aside. One foot was propped while his back leaned further against the wall as his brother settled on the floor by his bed.

"First of all, I want to know the truth. Do you really know Usagi that well?"

"She is a good friend of mine, yes."

"I thought we weren't supposed to keep secrets from each other."

"I kept her from everyone. Don't feel excluded."

"But why?"

"It was just better that way."

His brother's lax response was aggravating the boy. Did Itachi not realize how much it hurt to know that he kept secrets from him? "Was it easier to fuck her knowing no one could bother you?"

"We didn't…"

"Is she the reason why you never spent a lot of time with me?"

"Sasuke, my time with Usagi was minimal."

He slammed his hands on the kotatsu. "But that would explain everything! Why you're acting so weird, why you're never here, why you always blow the family off!"

"Sasuke, I work. That's the reality. Do you think I run to Usagi each and every time I find myself available for free time to pass?"

"I…well…"

"Usagi is a very good friend to me. Yes, I do visit her to pass the time. But believe me, the moments I spend with her pale in comparison to the moments I spend with you. It's just…with her, I can escape from the clan. I just…I wanted a place away from here."

"I see."

"You're not included in that, Sasuke."

"When?"

"What do you mean, 'when'?"

"I mean, when did you guys start seeing each other? More routinely." When his brother paused, he rushed in with his own theory. "It was since that meeting we had, huh?"

"Meeting?"

Sasuke recalled the meeting rather fondly. When he first became instated to team seven, Kakashi made it a habit to report everyone's successes back to their guardians. It was a month after their D-rank missions started that Kakashi decided to hold an open meeting with the team and a respective member of each person's family in order to showcase their achievements in the group thus far. Sasuke immediately thought of his father, but he declined due to a sudden mission. He meant no insult in not extending the invitation to his mother, but he thought his brother to be a more suitable substitute. It was a perfect opportunity to show him off to the team and to illustrate his own growth as a shinobi.

At the meeting, he saw Sakura with her father who gave him one peculiar look before moving on. He thought nothing of it as he was much more curious with whom Naruto would bring given the fact that the boy had no living family members on record. To his surprise, a blonde girl with blue eyes as vivid as his came along to the meeting. For a split second, he thought it to be a distant relative that Naruto may have neglected to introduce. The girl, however, turned out to be another orphan like him. She accompanied him as a pseudo sister. It was rather intriguing, seeing her interact with Naruto. And during the entire time, Naruto continued to be a pest as he tried—rather failed—to play matchmaker for the girl and his own brother. Usagi had ignored Naruto's suggestions as did his brother. But as the meeting progressed, there were just some peculiar occurrences. He ignored it back then, passing it off as an illusion his imaginative mind had conjured up voluntarily from the boredom of listening to Naruto's inability to sell off his sister to a potential bachelor. But during the entire congregation, he recalled catching glimpses of subtle eye contact and hand movements between the two. And when the time came for everyone to depart, he lied to himself that his brother had not, in fact, slipped a note into the girl's pocket. No, his eyes were catching things that weren't there. It had all been a dream. But now, he wasn't so sure.

"No. I met Usagi sometime before her chuunin exam. We've been…seeing each other, so to speak, since then."

That was much earlier than the meeting.

"But, I mean…all this time?"

"Sasuke. Don't think anything of it. I kept her a secret for her sake as well as mine. It had nothing to do with you. I assure you."

"But…"

"I'm not secretly finding ways to avoid you, Sasuke—despite what you might believe."

There was no hiding anything from him. His brother was quite the prodigy.

"We're brothers. I thought you above anyone else would understand how thick our bond runs."

"Don't get mushy on me, Itachi."

Itachi smirked. "As you wish, little brother."

All joking aside, Sasuke was in awe of the girl—to think that she managed to land such a prestigious and stoic person such as Itachi with her goofy personality. He knew Usagi somewhat well. She often made an appearance in some of his sparring matches with Naruto. The girl would come with food or check up on the boy's progress, at least when she wasn't on duty. But from what he did gather, Usagi was very much a female Naruto. She was loud, careless, a bit clumsy, cheerful and at times just much too silly. How in the world did such a personality come to clash with his brother? Was there even compatibility between the two? But apparently, even his brother had a way to sway women. Perhaps Shisui's talents rubbed off on him. If that was the case…

He eyed his brother curiously. He had never once attempted to talk to Itachi about women. But if Itachi now had the experience, it was much easier to talk to him about it than seeking a stranger or even worse, his father. It wasn't a big deal before. Women weren't a real issue considering how competitive he was in school and how important becoming a strong shinobi was. But as he spent more time in his team, the more he became curious about certain things, especially considering he was constantly exposed to the opposite gender almost every day. The last mission also pushed him to the final test. He remembered laying there on the floor, cold and battered. When he opened his eyes, Sakura was the first person to greet him. And as she buried her tears in his bloody shirt, he could think of nothing else at the moment but her. He wanted to drown the feelings, make them float away by ignoring them. But the truth of the matter was, she was always in his mind—even when he didn't want her to be.

"Actually, Kaa-san said that you and Usagi were…"

"We're just friends."

"So you two never…" His eyes stared at the floor blankly before they shyly switched back to his brother. "…slept together?"

Itachi's lifted eyebrow was accompanied by a half smirk. "And why would you ask me something like that?"

Sasuke immediately blushed and hastily averted his gaze. "Well, I just…"

"What do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious…a-about certain things."

"As in…?"

"Well…like…"

Itachi leaned in further to mock his whispering. "I'm sorry. My deafness seems to have caught up with my poor eyesight."

"I said I want to know about…girls," Sasuke pouted at his brother having him utter the forbidden word.

"I see. And you came to _me_ for advice?"

"Well, now that I know you've been dating Usagi…"

"There is nothing in my relationship with her except a platonic friendship."

"That's all?"

"Ah."

"But Kaa-san…"

"Through a series of complicated mixed messages and words, Kaa-san seems to have gotten it in her head that there is more to this entanglement than really exists. Since the fiasco, that I'm sure you're aware of now, Usagi and I have yet to find the opportune time to explain it properly."

"Hmm."

"But you were saying…"

"Now I don't know. Since you're not dating her, I don't think I should ask…"

"About?"

"Look, it was hard saying it the first time. If you're just going to keep teasing me, I'll go find someone else."

"Who? Shisui?"

"Well, he _is_ more skilled."

"Yes, but who would embarrass you more?"

"Good point." He squirmed, his feet tingling with sleepiness.

"Why are you asking me about these things, anyway? You're too young to be thinking about sex. And Sakura, even younger."

Sasuke's mouth dropped, mortified by his brother's bold statement.

"Don't even try to hide it. I know it's Sakura you're thinking about."

"But how did you know?"

"Believe me, we all know."

"We?"

"Me, Kaa-san, Kakashi, the kids in your level… Usagi even…"

At what point did he give himself away? But he supposed it wasn't such a big secret considering they were on the same team. "Yeah, well…okay it is her. But sex wasn't what I meant!"

"Then why did you want to know if I slept with Usagi?"

"I…uh…well…I was just curious that's all!"

"About sex?"

He was sure even his neck was red now. "I mean, I wanted to know how it felt."

"How sex felt? Is my little brother reaching that hormonal stage? I suppose I should prepare to see a mess in the bathroom every evening."

"You're such an asshole!"

He threw his head back and let out a deep rich laugh. "I merely tease. But in all sincerity, I want to know where this curiosity is coming from. Why now of all times?"

"It's like this…I uh…" He ruffled his hair. The subject was really too much to handle. "Well, in this last mission, we came across some strong ninjas. S-ranked ninjas in the bingo book, actually."

"What? But you just had a C-rank mission!"

"I know! And don't get up and run off to the hokage. Kakashi is taking care of everything."

Itachi hesitantly settled back down when Sasuke's eyes momentarily flashed red.

"You've awakened your sharingan."

"Ah."

"It was during your battle with these ninjas, I presume?"

"Yes."

"I'm curious as to how this came to be. But I shouldn't be surprised. It's the very essence of how our kekkei genkai is activated."

"What do you mean?"

"When Uchiha fight and have to put their lives on the line, their souls get awakened. Reaching that near-death moment—it's what arouses your Uchiha instinct, your bloodline. Your sharingan is a last ditch effort to keep you alive. It's because of your will to survive, that you have it now."

Sasuke couldn't argue with that. During his battle with the rogue ninja, he was backed into a corner. Had it not been for his teammates putting their lives on the line, he probably would not have lived to activate his sharingan, let alone retell the tale. "Actually, there was something else too."

"And what's that?"

"Before my sharingan, I was thinking about my team."

"Oh?"

"How much I wanted to be alive, for them, for my family and…"

"Sakura…right?"

"Ah. And even with my sharingan, my body was still pushed beyond its limit. I remember being thrown and rolling onto pavement. I couldn't move and eventually, everything got so cold and dark. When I woke up, all I saw was Sakura. To be honest, I never really thought it beyond a simple crush. But the more time I spend with her, the more I've come to…well…"

"You fancy her."

"Kind of. And, it's so weird but when I thought I was dying, the first thing that came to mind was that I never even gave it a chance. I mean, of all the damn things to think of, _she_ came to mind. It's so fucked up."

Itachi chuckled at his brother's distraught look. "And what will you do now?"

"I don't know. Now that I'm alive and well, I'll probably just ignore it again."

"If you don't catch the wind the first time around, you'll lose the race to other sails."

"What do you mean?"

"Women don't stay single forever, Sasuke. If you wait too long for an opportunity, you're going to see Sakura get snatched up by some other guy."

He immediately stiffened. It never crossed his mind that someone else would claim his catch. Sakura had never shown interest in anyone but him, and thus he was content that she would always be there whenever he felt ready to take the plunge. But Itachi had a point; there was always competition. And he'd be damned if he lied to himself and said he wasn't a competitive person, especially when he realized exactly to whom Itachi was referring.

"I'll tell her soon. But also, I want to know something else."

"If you're going to ask about tips in how to woo her, I'm sorry to say this, but I'm a bit a novice in that field. But I suppose I can just spew some cliché sayings I heard from Shisui."

"No actually, it's nothing about that. I really just wanted to know about your feelings."

"About you dating Sakura? It doesn't bother me at all."

"I meant your feelings for Usagi."

"If you're suggesting that I harbor anything romantic towards her, then I'm going to have to disappoint you."

"It's just hard to believe you. You never talk to girls, _ever_. Even when you do, it's always because Kaa-san or Tou-san makes you do it. Otherwise, you usually keep to yourself."

"So?"

"So…obviously, you feel something for her otherwise you wouldn't even bother to keep meeting her in private."

"It's nothing."

Sasuke let his eyes droop until Itachi became completely invisible. "You're never honest with me. It's not fair. I told you about Sakura."

Only when he began to make his way out the door, did Itachi make an effort to speak. It was true; his little brother had sucked up his pride and revealed his most inner thoughts to him because he figured that's what brothers do. They share each other's secrets. And here he was, a complete jerk who belittled his own brother's emotions. He gave a small smile at the thought that his brother had once again guilt tripped him into doing something. He was quite the expert at it.

"I don't know."

Sasuke turned around and watched his brother carefully. He was still leaning lazily against the wall; however his eyes were completely closed and it was obvious that he was carefully assessing his next words. After a few more seconds of silence, he went back to the kotatsu and watched his brother intently.

Itachi opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Is that what you wanted to hear? I don't know how I feel about her."

Sasuke tilted his head in wonder and silently gave him the cue to continue with a simple inquisitive look.

"When I first met her, she was no more than a nuisance. She was pestering me to help train her. Of course, I dismissed her entirely. I was rather busy and had no extra time to dedicate to her. I figured she was just part of that annoying fan club and the 'training' she desired was no more than an excuse to be by my side. Eventually, I relented. The girl was just frustratingly persistent." He glided his hand through his hair on the last thought. Usagi's stubbornness still had not left her in the few years they had known each other, and he'd be damned if he didn't admit that it really pissed him off sometimes. And yet interestingly enough, it was also an attribute he admired. His lips curved into a small smile as he thought about all the arguments they had.

"She can be so difficult at times. I say one thing, she does another. I tell her no, she says yes. I say 'this' means 'this', she says it means 'that.' If I had a ryo for every moment we argued, I could probably retire a happy shinobi by now."

"There's not a day that goes by that Sakura _doesn't_ argue with someone. Whether it be me, Naruto or Kakashi. How did we get stuck with the difficult ones?"

"Dumb luck, I guess."

"Yeah, and don't forget impatient. Sakura is always rushing me everywhere."

"Ah yes, a trait I'm familiar with."

"She's also always careless. Every time we do some training, she always gets distracted and messes up the routine for everyone."

"Well, I'm sure she finds my little brother's physique much more fascinating."

"Oi!"

"Sakura is at that age, Sasuke. And with that puberty stage hitting soon, I'm pretty sure the two of you will find much more enticing things to do together than training sessions in order to keep you entertained."

Sasuke's lips curved in distaste to his brother's thinking. He was sure he was blushing once again as well.

"But I can relate to the careless part as well. And irresponsible. I can't even count the times Usagi has snuck in manga instead of her studying books. I start a new lesson and there she is, giggling in the background."

"Tch. Sakura giggles all the time. If I have to hear her squeal about another 'cute' guy in her stupid magazines..."

"Women…"

"They're so ridiculous."

"Never on time."

"Never shut up."

"Constant mood swings."

"Constant yelling."

"She never plans anything out and she always gets herself into too much trouble because of it."

"If only I knew the number of times I had to save Sakura from impending doom."

"I swear; she does it to aggravate me sometimes. I worry for her safety, I guess. She's on my mind a lot because of it."

Sasuke stopped immediately and stared at his brother with wide eyes. Itachi was obviously just as surprised at the confession as he was.

"You think about her a lot?"

Itachi was still staring into empty space. Once he started speaking, he just couldn't seem to stop.

"Unfortunately."

"Do you like her then?"

"I already told you…"

"You told me nothing was going on."

"Hmm."

"And you said earlier you didn't know how you felt about her."

"That does _not_ constitute affection. I simply don't know how to assess her role in my life."

"Well, do you feel anything other than friendship?"

"Sometimes, I feel the same for her as I do for you, something akin to brotherhood."

"But is that all? Do you feel anything for her in the sense of a woman?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't find her attractive. But the thought ends there."

"I wonder what Usagi would say if she found out you said she was attractive?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Tell her, and I'll tell Sakura about the time I caught you hugging Oni-chan and kissing him while moaning her name."

He paled. "You saw that?"

"Ah."

"Fine, I won't tell her. But if you ask me, I think you're just afraid of making a move on her."

Itachi regarded his brother with direct eye contact for the first time since he sat back at the kotatsu. Sasuke's assessment of him sparked hidden curiosity and fascination.

"You're afraid to lose her or what little you have of her so you won't pursue anything. You were friends to begin with and it worries you that if your relationship fails, then you'll no longer have even that. So you keep her far, pretend she doesn't affect you, pretend you feel nothing for her. Because maybe, if you lie to her, you can lie to yourself and ignore your emotions until eventually, you make yourself believe they never existed to begin with."

"And how would you know that?"

"I know because…" Sasuke inhaled deeply before releasing a fresh breath of air. He swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. "…because, _I'm_ afraid. I'm afraid of many things. It's always been the three of us since we started. Naruto, Sakura and I have always been together, as a trio. I get scared thinking that if I do decide to pursue her, I'll no longer have that. It's just like you said earlier, about missing the wind. Naruto…he loves Sakura too. And if I follow my emotions, I'll end up hurting my best friend. But if I don't, he'll end up hurting me. What would happen to the team then? Would we still even be a team? Would we still be friends? And assuming Sakura and I are together. What then? If our relationship fails, we'll still have to bear each other's company for the sake of the team. I guess, in the end, I'm afraid of hurting others and being hurt myself."

He was always aware of the possibility that the three of them teamed up would be a problem, in more ways than one. But hearing it from Sasuke himself was quite different. It made it more alive, more real than some theory. And he honestly felt for his brother's anguish.

"There are so many insecurities running through my head. What if I can't give her what she wants? What if she realizes she doesn't want to be with me anymore? What if she finds someone better than me for her? What if—"

"What if she stops loving me?"

Sasuke froze on his brother's profile. Several seconds later, Itachi once again met his brother's eyes.

"That's what you were going to say, right?"

"Right."

"What if she stops loving me?" he whispered in an echo.

"Are you afraid Usagi will leave you someday too? Is that why you kept her to yourself?"

He was met with silence.

"We can't be afraid of something just because it's unknown territory. You taught me that."

He smirked, indeed he did. Little brat, throwing back his own lectures. "The truth of the matter is all that only applies to you. There's a big difference between you and I in this ordeal, Sasuke."

"And that would be…?"

Itachi shifted the weight of his body and stretched out his other foot. The conversation was far too long in his opinion. "You love Sakura. I never said anything about loving Usagi."

He sighed. There was just no getting through that man. He wondered how Usagi ever got along with such an irritable person. Since Itachi was obviously not interested in the conversation anymore, there was no point in staying any longer. And so, he headed over to the doors, looking back once at his brother's inquisitive eyes on him.

"Nii-san, you're such a liar." And with that said, he left, closing the door behind him.

Itachi continued to stew in his brother's words after he left, the book from earlier forgotten. What did he feel for the girl and why was he still continuing their meetings? His explanations to everyone had solid reasoning, but in order to decipher his own emotions, he decided to change the scenario into a mathematical equation. If he kept the formula, and changed the numbers, would the desired results still be achieved? If Usagi was replaced by another female, would he have continued to meet her?

The equation remained in his head throughout the morning, even into the early afternoon as he sauntered into headquarters. He walked right past a group of men studying a newly painted fence—admiring what appeared to be some aquatic animal of sorts. He shrugged it off as some overnight vandalism by a group of mischievous children.

Once inside the building, he noticed several officers smirking at him before continuing their conversations.

"Yo, Itachi. Did you know your girlfriend is working here today?"

"Hmm?"

"I think it's hilarious having her here. We've been enjoying it. Plus, our bathrooms have never smelled better."

"Bathrooms?"

Usagi always had a habit of leaving her own mark everywhere she went as well as possibly turning a place upside down. He wondered what changes occurred in just a few hours.

"Where is she now?"

"In the break room. You better hurry up in there; the guys are already hitting on her pretty bad."

What a tedious task taking care of the girl was. It was always a chore, ever since she first began pestering him. But true to Hiroshi's words, several men crowded around Usagi who was simply trying to eat the last remnants of her sandwich. It was the sound of his name in their conversation that sparked interest. Did they not realize that death was dancing among them?

"So Usagi, tell us!"

"Uh…what?"

"Well, you're Itachi's girlfriend. Spill some dirt. There's things I've been dying to know about the guy."

"But isn't Itachi your superior officer? Shouldn't you respect some privacy? Besides, the two of us…"

He poked his tongue out playfully. "Aww, come on. We just want some inside scoop. Like tell us, is the guy really as serious as he acts? Or does he have a playful streak?"

"Well…"

"Yeah, and does he do embarrassing things when no one is around?"

"Yeah, like Hideo here. He farts a lot when he thinks he's alone."

"Fuck off, asshole! But yeah, does Itachi do that?"

The absurdity of the question was unreal. What a silly thing to ask.

"Forget that! I want to know how you and Itachi got together. It's hard to believe." The young man sputtered when Usagi raised an eyebrow. "I mean, well, Usagi-chan is so cute and funny it's just hard to believe she would put up with someone as boring as Itachi."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Pfft, well Itachi is just a serious guy. He doesn't really do anything except work. It can't be all that exciting with him."

"Yeah, right. _I_ bet he's a wild man underneath it all. And actually, I want to know about that, if you don't mind sharing some private stories, Usagi-san."

"You mean, you want to know if he's good in bed. Sorry, man but after this little fiasco, it's safe to say Itachi doesn't swing that way."

The man turned red before punching his comrade on the shoulder. "That's _not_ what I meant, moron!"

Despite how rough all the men looked and how crass their language was, Usagi smiled at the fact that deep down, they probably meant well and were merely teasing each other. It was something she could definitely relate to.

"I don't see what the big deal is. That Itachi is nothing. I don't see why you guys make such a fuss over him."

This new face, however, was anything but friendly. Usagi's guard was up immediately as was her serious face.

"And you, well, you're just lucky enough to land any guy from a clan aren't you? What? Common folk not good enough for you so you had to find yourself an Uchiha? Yes, why wouldn't you go after one of the most sought after bachelors in Konoha?"

She remained seated as he slammed one hand on the table and brought his face closer to her glare.

"Although…"

His fingers slipped freely into her hair and gently pulled a few strands closer to his nose for a quick catch of her scent.

"I can clearly see that you are a bit easy on the eyes."

A rough finger gently stroked a clothed leg before it was effectively slapped away.

"And I bet these come in handy as well. Itachi must have had one thing in mind when he accepted you into his life."

She tried her best to push him away but was instead pulled off her chair.

"Koichiro, man, you should cut it out."

"Fuck off, all of you!"

The corners of his lips pulled into a smirk as he paid visible appreication to Usagi's physique.

"Have you no respect or manners for a woman?"

"Oh, but my manners are in every way a man pays respect to a woman."

"Koichiro, seriously. Stop it."

"I told you guys to fuck off!" He ignored the nervous look of the girl, passing it off as her discomfort with his presence. "So how about I make you an offer? If it's simply the Uchiha name you're interested in," he leaned closer to her face. "I'll be glad to lend you mine."

"Uh, Koichiro…"

"For the last fucking time…just…"

But a pair of sharingan eyes killed his last words.

"I-Itachi."

"What's going on here?"

The men all grew shy quite suddenly. They hid behind their bento boxes and waited with hidden curiosity as to whether or not either man would initiate a hit.

"Nothing at all. I was simply getting acquainted with your girlfriend here. We were just talking."

Even though his silent request for an explanation was met with an affirmative nod from Usagi, he decided to leave the issue at that for now.

"Usagi, follow me."

"Okay…"

His shoulders roughly pushed against the man and the two locked gazes. He hoped Koichiro got the message to keep his distance. After the man gave in to his firm command, he followed Usagi into a vacant hallway.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?"

"What have you been doing all morning?"

"Nothing really bad. Just a lot of cleaning. Oh! You should see the bathrooms. I made them all smell pretty and put some flowers in there too. Why is your restroom so sticky, anyway? What are you guys doing in there?"

He ignored the pointless question. "Where is my father?"

"Oh, probably in his office."

"And he hasn't done anything to you? Anything at all?"

"Of course, not. He's been a little nice, actually. He even let me paint the fence."

"Fence?" The marine animal from earlier suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Yeah, I think he just needed some help with some small tasks he couldn't do himself. I wouldn't think anything about it, Itachi. Maybe your mom is right. Maybe this is his way of getting to know me."

"But…"

"It's fine, really. Plus I'm having a lot of fun."

"Fun?"

"Yeah! Everyone here is really nice." She amended her sentence when he stared blankly at her. "Okay, maybe not everyone. But it's okay. I can take care of myself. And it's not like they can do much in public, anyway."

"Very well. If you think you can handle yourself, I suppose I shouldn't question it. If you do find yourself harassed, just come straight to me. Am I understood?"

"Yes, yes. We've gone over this before. Just calm down, for once."

"Hmm."

"Anyway, I have to get back to Tekka-san. My break is almost over and he said he has more stuff to show me."

"Fine. I'll check up on you later."

"Bye, bye, Itachi. Good luck at work today! Hope you have as much fun as I'm having."

He didn't think he would. The work he had was much more taxing on his mind and body. But it could also be that Usagi's personality attributed to how differently she handled a situation. It was just a habit of hers to turn anything she did into a game of some sort. He wondered if the girl could ever take her job seriously and how that affected her missions. It was a mystery how anything was accomplished with her around.

When he was certain no men were following her around to tease or harass her, he sauntered away into his father's office. Even after receiving permission to enter, his father continued his work and left him to stand in silence for several minutes. It was only ten minutes of impatient waiting that he had to endure before his father finally acknowledged him.

"Itachi, good. You're on time."

There was never a moment he wasn't—not counting a certain incident, anyway.

"As you can see, the day is hectic. We're trying to get some things squared away in regards to an attack made on a post about sixty kilometers west of here. Information must be sent to the Hokage once we've analyzed it."

"Ah, I understand."

When Itachi reached over for the folder on his father's desk, he was stopped by a firm grip.

"I'm going to have someone else deliver this. _Your_ assignment is waiting for you at your desk."

He frowned but nodded. "Very well."

Leaving the office and going to the Hokage's tower was much more enticing at the moment. At least he could make up the excuse of returning too late or not returning at all due to a sudden mission. But he supposed that his father wanted to keep a close watch on him for the day which meant that the assignment he had ready for him was something he would not appreciate. And when Itachi arrived at his desk, he cursed underneath his breath realizing what his father had intended for him.

"You seem happy to see me," was the sarcastic greeting he received.

"It's not you. I'm just…"

"No need to get upset with your father, Itachi." The woman collected a pile of papers and stacked them neatly together. "He's simply looking out for your best interests."

Itachi watched with torture as the woman began to rearrange everything in his desk. She took his papers and inserted them into the wrong colored folders. His pencils were snatched up and placed in incorrect trays. The paperclips in his stash were transferred into a desk drawer. And his stapler was now missing in action. He always had things placed in order to fit his particular tastes. It annoyed him when anyone messed with his belongings to rearrange it otherwise.

"There, that looks much better. Don't you think?"

"Hmm."

"Is that all you have to say to me? We have not spoken more than two words to each other in six months and the only thing you can do is grunt at me?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just not in the best spirits for company."

"You mean _my_ company, correct?" She left the desk and walked beside him, peering out into the entire establishment. There were several men running about the lobby, some to greet other officers and some with work in mind. Very few women worked for the Uchiha police—something she always detested given her pride as a kunoichi. "Or perhaps your tastes now run towards…blonde?" She whispered the last words in his ear quietly as if they were a private matter between the two.

Itachi sighed. He was right. "Look, Rei. If my father sent you here to—"

"What makes her so special, huh?"

He followed her eyes to a particular area near his father's office. There she was, the subject of the conversation, struggling to mop up an section where the men carelessly tossed their drinks.

"When we were little, I remember I would try so hard to get your attention. Even to get you just to play with me a little. I didn't want much. But no, you were always so quiet and reclusive."

"I never ignored you."

"But you never initiated anything, either! Now _this_ girl comes along. Some…low-class brat with no name for herself and you two…" She clenched her hands. "It pisses me off."

He knew that telling her the truth would have been the morally correct thing to do—that there was nothing going on and Usagi was but a friend. But he hated anything his father delegated, and knowing the girl's presence as being a result of his father's desires agitated him greatly, thus his mouth had a mind of its own. "It's my business, really."

"Don't be selfish. This is the problem people have with you. Do you think you can just do as you want? Huh? That because you are Fugaku's son that everything must bend to your will, Itachi?"

He paid no mind as he settled back to his chair and began his attempt at repairing his environment.

"Itachi, you are what connects this clan. You're the future patriarch, and yet you spend your time fruitlessly playing around with some little girl. It's not like you to act foolish; I hold disdain for this relationship you have with her entirely on that fact. It's distracting you. So, I suggest you get your priorities straight lest your work suffers."

Itachi ignored her as he began his paperwork. She was a reminder of why he often strayed from Uchiha whenever he could, particularly Uchiha women.

"Did you come all this way to lecture me? If it's Usagi you're worried about, then the matter is settled. She's of no concern to you. Let her be."

"But…"

"Even if I accept my future role as patriarch, as you kindly like to remind me, the relationships I hold with people outside the clan hold no consequence." He held his hand up to stop her. "And please don't jump into absurdities like my father."

"I simply worry. That's all."

"Do you have no confidence in my capabilities?"

"Of course I do. It's just that men have a tendency to do stupid things from time to time."

He reviewed one paper before switching to another. His eyes squinted from the small printing. At some point in life, he knew glasses would be inevitable—at least when he wasn't utilizing his sharingan. "Are you still on that feminist move? Society has progressed since then, Rei. It is no longer as archaic as you deem it to be."

"Archaic? No. Patriarchal? Yes. Society has yet to fully break from that old tradition. And I speak from personal encounters with regards to how males operate. They lack the capacity to fully comprehend a situation and at often times, blotch it up thanks to their inability to separate years of biological instincts from reason and logic."

"I'm not Shisui, if that's where your line of thinking is going. Or are you calling my intellect inferior?"

"No, but certainly your taste comes into question."

He scribbled down some notes. "Usagi, I presume."

"I hold my position that only an Uchiha female is suitable for you."

"Is that so? And I assume you have someone more particular in mind for the role?"

"Of course. That would be me."

"Ah, now we get to the root of the problem."

"You know as well as I do that she wouldn't last a day in the clan."

"On the contrary, she's made it this far."

"Itachi, you know very well what I mean."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Rei, promise you'll leave Usagi alone."

She crossed her arms defiantly.

"_Rei_."

"All right. All right. I won't touch the brat. But that goes only for me. I can't control what other people in the clan do or think in regards to her."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't insult your own intelligence. Surely you've thought about the repercussions of having her mingle with your clan. And don't you dare feign innocence. You know who I'm talking about."

"Then pass the word along to leave her alone."

"I can pass the word, whether they follow or not is up to those girls. You know how they are and compared to them, I'm a saint. They're vicious and competitive. Already, they're conspiring."

"Then can you keep an eye on them?"

"I'm not here to play spy for you."

"But you are for my father?"

"I came here of my own accord. He simply arranged your spare time."

"I see."

She sighed when he went back to working at his desk. The man was still ignoring her even after all these years. "Look, I didn't come here just to lecture you. I genuinely just wanted to see how you were fairing. Ever since you were instated into Anbu, your leisure time has been controlled and reduced to an absolute minimum. It's not often we get to see each other."

"I know."

"So let's just brush aside the business, for now. How have you been?"

He grumbled at 'for now' knowing the woman would eventually bring up more work. Rei was raised as a strict Uchiha businesswoman. There was no such thing as brushing it aside, at least not for any lengthened period of time. "I'm fine. And you are as well?"

"Aside from having joined the chuunin committee and overseeing the written part of the exam when they start, yes I am fine."

He smirked. "They conned you into that this time?"

"It's not that I detest my work, but I did have other jobs in mind to occupy my time. But I suppose that ensuring our clan secures more chuunin is of high priority. The more promoted ninjas we get, the less I have to worry about trivial matters."

"And what isn't trivial with this clan?"

"I wish you would take your work more seriously. There are many people who would kill to have your position in the clan."

"If they kill me, then the position is open for them."

"This isn't a game, Itachi."

He casually leaned on his hand. "Back to business, I see. Why don't we get down to why you're really here?"

"I'm here to see y—"

"Let me make it easier for you. 'Your father sent me here to distract you from Usagi and give us some time alone to accelerate the process and help us develop a relationship.' I'm also certain he has a chore set up for me. So why don't we go from there?"

"Very well, since you love to cut right to the climax, I will tell you. Yes, your father did send me here because of the girl. He knows a hindrance when he sees one. And yes, I am here to occupy your time and get her out of the picture."

"Now was that so hard?"

She ignored the comment. "As for work, you will be helping me with some personal issues. I need some help at the Naka Shrine. Once there, grandfather will relay more information. Is that understood?"

"Ah." He was right. Sadly enough, peace never came to him easily. When Rei held the door open for him, he begrudgingly obliged. And down the hallway, he saw a busy Usagi with Tekka giving instructions. Suddenly, the troubles Rei mentioned came to mind, and he worried if she would be fine with so many Uchiha surrounding her.

"Don't look at the girl. Don't be concerned with how she will fair without you keeping an eye on her. She can handle herself. Just keep your head straight. I doubt she'll have too much trouble in the time you're gone. As you said before, she's been handling herself just fine, hasn't she?"

She was just saying that to keep him distracted on his new mission and far away from Usagi. It wasn't hard to figure it out now that Rei was open about her intentions. But Usagi was a strong personality. Surely she could handle a few men. He waved a goodbye to her and she smiled back with a thumbs up indicating that everything was fine on her end. He nodded in confirmation before finally relaxing.

Usagi bid Itachi a final farewell as he exited the building. She wanted to ensure that there was no harm in leaving her be as the work Fugaku had given her, while plentiful and grueling, was not particularly difficult or life threatening.

"Usagi, are you done with your part?"

"Yeah, everything from the spill is mopped up."

"Good. I guess now we can go back to sorting out those documents. After that, we'll report back to the desk and see what else is new for you."

"Sure! I'm glad to help." She followed Tekka eagerly as he guided her down the hallway.

"May I ask you something?"

"What's that?" She smiled to ease his tension.

"Why are you so excited about doing this? I mean, it's grunt work."

"I just like helping people. That's all. And actually, it's kind of fun!"

"Fun? You think mopping and filing papers is fun?"

"Well, it is with you. I enjoy your company. You're a very nice person."

Tekka bore a faint blush. "Well, it is nice to have someone taking orders from _me_ for a change."

"Tekka-san, you want to be promoted don't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Because you work so hard at everything you do. I can tell you just want to please your commanding officers."

"Yes, well, it is my dream to be promoted. I don't mind doing this work but I rather not be stuck here forever. I have ambitions too."

"And what's that?"

He wasn't sure if it was her smile, relaxed attitude or genuine interest, but he couldn't stop from spouting more about his life. "I wish that someday I could work as a legal consultant or even the head of security to the daimyo of the Land of Fire."

"Um, that sounds cool."

He chuckled. "It may seem boring to you, but I love working in law and business. The only thing is, I'm not very good with talking to people."

"Once you get used to talking to more people, it will come more naturally to you. But, yeah, being a grunt worker here won't really get you there. So why do you still work here?"

"It's the connections and obligation. Most Uchiha men have to work here for a few years as duty then we move on to other jobs. If I pull my weight around, they can help me get to higher places."

"That's amazing! Good luck, Tekka-san. I'm cheering you on!"

"I…um, thank you, Usagi. And what about you? Do you have any idea what you want to do when you get older?"

"Well I want to travel and explore as much as I can. Maybe I could become a diplo-what-you-call-it."

"Diplomat."

"Yeah, they're the ones that go around to different nations and try to make peace. I think that would be a cool job. Or a traveling salesmen! Or even a minstrel! Or a bounty hunter!"

"That's quite an array of jobs there."

"Yeah, I guess. But may _I_ ask _you_ something now, Tekka-san?"

He gently took her mop and placed both inside the closet. "Yes, of course."

"Who was that girl Itachi was with earlier? The one with the long black hair and kunoichi vest. She had a golden raven necklace."

"Oh her? That's Uchiha Rei."

Usagi's face lit up. "Another female Uchiha? That's exciting!"

"Exciting?"

"Up until now I only ever met Uruchi-san and Mikoto-san. In fact, all I ever see on this compound are men. But surely there have to be young women around to help keep the clan going, right?" She jabbed him suggestively and offered a sly wink.

"O-oh, yes! Of course. But most of our women tend to their families or take up small missions and clerical work. They rarely take any military or police involvement. Rei-san is about the only exception."

"Why is that, Tekka-san?"

"Because her father was a political representative for the clan, he often had to leave the country to handle diplomatic issues. Rei-san never had many female role models, so since she was a little girl, she often just mimicked her father's actions. She became more involved with the clan's politics because of that, and it just stayed with her for the rest of her life, especially considering her mother died when she was very young."

"So she grew up without a mom, too?" It wasn't as if she was thrilled for the girl having to live without a mother figure. But Usagi was excited that perhaps the two could share a common trait. She could have someone to talk to who would understand the emptiness she felt from having lost a parent.

"Yes. She grew very ill one day, and her health got worse from there. Rei-san couldn't have been older than five when it happened."

"I see. And yet she doesn't even let that faze her. She keeps on working hard in spite of it all. Isn't that right, Tekka-san?"

"Ah. Rei-san is a very hard worker. She cares a lot about this clan and has quite a few achievements under her belt."

"And is she friends with Itachi or are they related?"

"At best, distant. The two have known each other since they were children. But rarely did they spend moments together. Itachi's destiny was just on a very far path from Rei-san's. When they were little, the captain would often arrange meetings between the two. They were supposed to be engaged sometime in the future though the idea was eventually dropped."

"I see."

He immediately realized his blunder and began to sputter apologizes. "I-I didn't mean to upset you with any of this! That was all just talk from when they were kids. It didn't mean anything!"

"Hmm? What are you talking about?"

"I mean that I wasn't trying to offend you or anything."

"You weren't offending me in anyway. I'm actually glad to know more about Itachi's life. There's only so much that he's told me."

"But you know, you'll likely be facing competition soon."

"Competition?"

"Well, I don't mean to bear bad news, but there is a chance Rei-san is still infatuated with Itachi."

"Oh? And how does that affect me?"

Tekka took a few step backs. Usagi was either extremely confident in Itachi's loyalty or completely oblivious to the future tension. He would bet on the latter considering her naïve smile. "Well, what happens if Rei-san tries to take Itachi away from you?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah…about that…" Usagi scratched her head in trying to find the perfect explanation.

"Don't worry, Usagi. Don't tell anyone this…" he got closer to whisper low, "but I'm rooting for you as well."

"Well, the thing is Itachi and I …wait…really? You mean it? You're on _my_ side?"

"Yes. I think you're a really nice girl."

Usagi's eyes were glistening with tears of appreciation. "Aww, Tekka-san. You're such a nice person."

"Yes, well I'm being sincere. So don't give in so easily. Show Rei-san what you're made of!"

Usagi nodded sharply and raised her fist in the air. "Hai! I will! Uh…wait that is…" She was happy Tekka was becoming a closer friend but it was quite possible that her acceptance of his confidence had set her a step back from conveying the truth.

"Well, we should go down to the bulletin board and pick up our assignment." He guided her once again to a lobby like area where many men were snatching pieces of paper and running off.

"What's this?"

"We call this 'the post.' You see, when people need help with things, they file a report. Depending on how serious the report is, we sort them out to different places. It's kind of like how they assign missions at the academy. The really confidential and dangerous stuff gets sent to the captain or his high officers..."

"Like Itachi?"

"Ah. And then the rest trickle down. What you see here are the smaller jobs. Usually it's a lost and found mission or a village escort. It just depends on what people need. Whenever you find that you're done with the assignments handed to you for the day, you go up to this board, you snag an assignment and then you go to that desk over there and write the time you are about leave and the assignment that corresponds to the ticket you took. When you've accomplished your mission successfully, you come back and sign out. If anything goes wrong, you can always re-pin the assignment and try again later. But make sure to keep a log of any problems. Because these are pretty easy, you shouldn't find yourself in any trouble."

"You guys are always busy here."

"There's no such thing as being bored here or down time. There's always someone in need."

"I think I'm beginning to admire the Uchiha clan a lot more. Now I know why Itachi is always busy and coming in to work so early."

"Yes, we…"

"Well look at what we have here boys."

Usagi was alert to the small group of men that circled them. She noticed with dismay that Tekka seemed a bit nervous about the group. To the right was a fairly tall man with dark brown hair. She immediately recognized his hazelnut eyes. He was accompanied by an entourage of three men this time, mostly likely subordinates given that the rookie attire was the same as hers.

"What do you want, Koichiro?"

He slammed a hand on the post behind them, effectively trapping Usagi. "I noticed Itachi leaving earlier."

Usagi turned her head away from his warm breath.

"You got me in trouble, you little brat."

"She doesn't seem like much to me, Koichiro-san."

"I don't know, Kengo. I think I'm beginning to fall in love," he mocked as the other men laughed.

She wanted to tell them that there was nothing going on. That Itachi was no more than a friend and their attempts to tease her about the situation were in vain. But the snide smile and lewd speech caused her to lose a momentary grasp on her temper. She slapped the hand away.

"Whoa boys! Better back away. This kitten scratches."

"Leave us alone! You have no business making such crude comments."

They merely laughed at her attempt to intimidate them. It made Usagi pout in agitation.

"I mean it! Don't piss me off or I'll…"

"Or you'll what? Tell your boyfriend on us?"

"No!"

"Then what are you going to do about it, girl?"

"I'll file a sexual harassment report either before or after I maim you maggots."

Usagi clamped a hand over her mouth. Since when was her voice so masculine?

A wooden cane swooped out of thin air and jabbed Koichiro's forehead hard.

"Ow, who the...hell?"

Usagi watched in amazement as the four tough men were reduced to puddles by the elderly man. She recognized him as the old man from the day she infiltrated the interrogation room.

"You were saying, Koichiro?"

"Nothing, sir. We were just about to do some paperwork."

"Good. Then scatter."

"Yes, sir!"

The old man continued his steady pace and merely shook his head when the boys all left. Despite them knowing how much power he had in the department, they still continued to harass other coworkers. It was no surprise that this girl was the new center of attention given her status as Itachi's property. That and the simple fact that she was a woman. Young males who often go all day without female affection find it difficult to resist one's presence, even in the workplace. It was the main reason he rarely allowed women at headquarters. "You, rookie. Follow me."

Tekka lightly poked Usagi's shoulders. "He's talking to you," he whispered.

"Oh, okay."

Usagi followed the old man's invitation to enter his office. She was slightly nervous, afraid that her outburst had landed her into trouble.

The old man walked over to his desk and put away his hat. He threw the cane aside and landed harshly on his leather seat. After taking some notes and sorting away some papers, he spared a glance over at the girl who seemed to have lost her interest as she was now humming some type of music.

"Be more attentive."

Usagi stiffened her posture. "Hai!"

"A good officer always carries himself as an ascetic character."

She had never heard such a word before but attempted to replicate it anyway.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm being 'ascetic', sir."

"You look constipated."

The look was dropped immediately. "Oh."

"It's not that we're not a bed of roses in this establishment from time to time, but we aren't quite used to as much energy and clumsiness. That's a rookie mistake."

"Sorry, sir."

"The energy will wear off the more time you spend here. After a while, you'll dread you ever stepped foot here."

Usagi's face fell at the possibility that Tekka and Itachi may have been the only ones on her side.

"I simply meant that sooner or later you won't be as excited to come here. People are always excited on the first day. After a few months' time, you'll blend in with the rest of us dreary ones."

"Oh, yes sir."

"Take your work seriously, work hard, do as your told, be punctual about your attendance and duties and there's nothing more I can ask of you."

"Hai!"

"Now then, let's get on to business. I take it Fugaku has already made your schedule for the day?"

Usagi immediately stood upright in respect. "Yes, sir."

"And Tekka has shown you how to keep yourself busy and where everything is?"

"Yes, sir. He showed me the cleaning closets, the lobby, where to get food and the post."

"Very well. Everything seems to be in good standing. Now, why don't you take this folder right here and deliver it to Fugaku for me. Let him know he needs to read it as soon as he gets it."

"Yes, sir."

"One more thing before you go."

"Sir?"

"Try standing up for yourself a little more. The men around here won't respect you at all if you don't speak up and be a little more assertive."

"But, how?"

His eye twinkled in mischief. "Hmm, I wonder..."

Usagi frowned as she shut the door. She wasn't quite sure how to go about defending herself, at least, not without hurting someone in the process.

"It's you again, huh girl?"

But then again, he never did say she _couldn't_ physically defend herself. Usagi took one look at the old man through the glass in his office. She knew he was subtly watching her. And when the Koichiro fellow was still not ignoring her back, she stomped her foot out and gave him a good kick in the shin to shut him up. That seemed to satisfy both his persistence and the old man, for he bore the faintest of smirks. After she was satisfied the whole group received the message well, Usagi proudly walked into Fugaku's office.

"Captain, this is for you."

"File it away for now—."

"I was instructed to ensure you read it immediately by Ojii-san." She hoped he understood the source. When she accepted the file, she had not even bothered with formalities. But everyone else, including Shisui, referred to him as the old man. And it seemed the title was efficient, for Fugaku immediately opened the manila folder. Usagi waited patiently for further instructions as he began to correct and highlight key phrases in the files.

"Return this and then finish your scheduled assignments."

"I've already finished my duties for the day." She straightened her stance when he eyed her carefully. "Sir," she added the formality as a safety measure.

"Very well. Then have Tekka show you were to get more…"

"I've already visited the post, captain. There are currently thirty six assignments. With your permission, I can leave headquarters momentarily to accomplish one." He stared at her again which made her mildly nervous. "Sir!"

He sighed. "You don't have to keep saluting me like that every time you finish a sentence. This isn't the military."

"Oh, um…sir! Yes, sir!"

Fugaku narrowed his eyes at her continuous efforts to salute him and the newfound confidence that radiated off the girl. "Actually, there is one more assignment I would like for you to accomplish before that."

"Sir?"

"I want you to go to Yashiro's office. There, he has a box of katana. I would like for you to deliver these weapons to the Naka Shrine. Give them to a girl named Uchiha Rei. She'll direct you from there."

Usagi fought hard to hold the smile down. She had wanted to introduce herself since her conversation with Tekka. It was exciting to find more women to talk to within the Uchiha clan. She wondered if this Rei person would be anything like Itachi's mother. "Hai!" She nodded seriously before scampering off to deliver the folder and find Yashiro's office.

"Usagi, why the rush?"

She smiled at Tekka who was busy holding a big pile of tabbed binders.

"Captain wants me to make a delivery. Can you tell me where Yashiro-san's office is?"

"Sure, it's right around the corner over there."

"Ah, thank you!" She hurriedly jogged, careful to avoid the men that were rushing about with their own piles of work. Once she received the coordinates and package, she picked up her pace and rushed to the shrine.

The entrance was rather spectacular in architecture. The torii was tall and most recently repainted in its traditional red coating. Several pieces of parchment paper thought to be charms hung from the sides and among the many things adorning the entrance was an engraved sign that read _Naka no Jinja_.

"Well, this is it."

She casually strolled across the stone stairs, marveling at the wonderful landscape. Whoever kept up the place was someone who paid attention to detail and definitely had a knack for gardening. She could barely keep her banzai tree alive and yet here were people who kept acres of it in pristine condition.

"I take it you are enjoying the shrine, young lady?"

It was a short bald man. His age was indicated by the wrinkles he bore as well as sagging eyelids.

"Yes, I actually love it. Who is your landscape artist?"

"That would be my granddaughter. Since she was little, she's been working here at the shrine to keep it clean and well-conditioned."

"That's so nice. One person does this all?"

"Well, she does get help from time to time. But in general, yes."

"That's amazing. I would love to have come here as a child and play around by the trees. This place must have the best hiding spots."

"Yes, but you know what is the best thing to do here?"

"What's that, sir?"

He bared a toothy smile. "Marriage of course!"

Usagi blinked from the bold outburst. "M-marriage?"

"Yes, marriage."

"Uh…I'm sorry sir, but I'm a bit too young for that right now."

"Nonsense! And I've got just the right bachelor ready for you."

"Um…and who would that be, sir?"

"Me of course!"

It didn't take her long to make a slow retreat. The old man was even more insane than Minako's grandmother. What was it with old people that made them lose their sanity and tact?

"Actually, I'm kind of on a mission…"

She shuddered internally when the old man reached out for her hand.

"There's no need to be shy, young girl. Why, I'm as ripe as they come!"

After watching his dentures barely stay within their confinements and some loose hairy moles on his face begin to take life of their own, Usagi's pace became more hastened.

"I…have to go now."

Unfortunately, the old man would not release her hold which caused her to stumble backwards on the stone path.

"I must say, those are some nice set of legs you've got on you!"

She immediately stood up and hid her legs behind the boxes.

"Now then, what say you and I…"

The man did not finish his sentence before he was knocked a few feet by a fast fist.

"How many times do I have to tell you? STOP HITTING ON GIRLS AT THE SHRINE!"

While she was not one to advocate administering pain to the elderly, Usagi was very grateful to her saviour.

"You'll have to excuse him. He's quite senile and does that whenever…" The girl immediately stopped and narrowed her eyes.

Usagi smiled upon recognition of the priestess' identity. "Excuse me, you're Uchiha Rei right?"

"Yes," the girl responded hesitantly.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi. It's nice to meet you."

"I assume you didn't walk all the way here just to introduce yourself."

"Oh! Yes! Captain, asked for me to bring you these katana."

"Very well, hand them here." Rei accepted the boxes and began to walk off. She was not expecting, however, for any kind of company as she approached the honden. "Is there something else you needed?"

"I uh…"

"If not, I'm very busy at the moment. Visitation hours for tours are between eight and two. Please try again tomorrow."

"No, I'm not here for a tour."

"Well, then, off with you."

"Actually, I just thought we could, you know, hang out."

"_Excuse _me?"

"There's a soba shop not too far from here. Or we can go shopping. Which would you rather do first?"

Rei's head shook in disbelief. _"What?_ We just met!"

"That's kind of the point. We can get to know each other better."

"Why do you even want to get to know me?"

"I thought we could be friends."

She faltered momentarily at the words before continuing her power walk through the shrine. "Go away. You're interrupting my work. And I'm sure the captain has not relieved you from duty." She grabbed a broom to begin sweeping the floors and frowned when Usagi followed suit.

"I can help you sweep. I'm pretty fast at it too."

"I've already told you to scurry. Go on, go!"

"Oh, come on Rei-chan. Don't be that way."

Rei scrunched her face at the familiarity. "Do NOT call me that."

"Why not?"

"I barely even know you!"

"I'll let you call me 'Usagi-chan'."

"Beat it brat!"

"We could have fun…"

"WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING ME ABOUT THIS?"

Usagi took a few moments to recover from the outburst. "I just…I barely know any Uchiha females. I thought it would be kind of cool to get to know one my age. That's all."

"Are you doing this only because of Itachi?"

"Huh?"

"I know about you and Itachi so don't play innocent."

"I don't understand."

"I said, stop playing stupid!"

"I'm not."

"Then are you genuinely stupid?"

"I wouldn't be asking you if I knew what you meant."

She released a string of incoherent grumbles before releasing the tension to calm her nerves. "Let me make it simple. I know about the relationship between you and Itachi. I also know that the only reason you are approaching me now is to ensure that you know as much about me as possible. But let me make it clear to you girl," she poked Usagi's chest harshly before continuing. "I have every intention of taking you out of the picture. And while we're on the subject, I'll also make it clear that I take no interest in seeing you close to him."

"But Itachi is only my friend. It's not like you think."

"Don't insult my intelligence. It pisses me off."

Usagi immediately withheld her retort.

"Itachi and I have known each other far longer than you two have. And I assure you, that anything you have with him is nothing but a casual fling. Itachi cares deeply for his family and naturally would want a suitable Uchiha female to take his side as wife. Don't believe the illusion that Itachi would ever stick up for you, not if his family is involved. We always come first. Embed that into your memory, girl!"

Rei snatched up the fallen broom and continued to sweep the main hall. She was used to people adhering to her tone of voice. She was certain she got the point across that the girl's presence was not at all desired.

"I heard you lost your mother when you were little."

The sweeping motion slowed considerably in response.

"I…I also lost my mother when I was little. And my father too. They died before I was even two so I don't remember anything about them at all. I have very few things they left behind so really, it's kind of like a fantasy for me—that they ever existed anyway. And when I heard about what happened to you, I just thought that maybe you would also understand where I'm coming from. That maybe you would understand the loneliness I feel from time to time. I thought that we could be two people who understand each other."

"I don't need pity from you for my circumstances."

"I'm not offering pity. I'm offering friendship."

Delicate fingers glided smoothly down the broom before readjusting their hold. "My position still stands. You are an obstacle that must be eradicated. I won't allow anyone to take Itachi from me."

"Why is Itachi so important to you?"

"Not that it matters to you, but I've known Itachi since we were little. To me he was the ideal man. He was strong, courageous, gentle, patient and kind. He was everything I wanted."

"Me too."

"Oh? Then you admit you have romantic feelings for the man?"

"I think you misunderstood me."

"How so?"

"When I say he's everything I wanted, I mean that he's everything that I wanted to be. He's everything that I hope to achieve someday. Someday, I want to be as strong as he is, inside and out."

"Stop spouting nonsense. You know nothing about what Itachi has been through—his pain, his suffering. You can't possibly understand him on that kind of level."

"It's true that I probably don't know him as well as you do, but there are some things you can pick up from people just by getting to know them a little. I've known Itachi enough to understand the kind of person he is."

"What do you understand about Itachi? The two of you have barely been acquainted."

"I probably know about him more than you think. To me, he's family."

"Tch. Family? You haven't even scratched his surface and already you spout incoherent babbles on how well you can ascertain his nature. Well, I will educate you now, girl. Itachi is a serious man who understands the structure of maintaining a clan such as ours. Don't interfere with his work nor shatter the foundation of this clan to which he holds dear." She huffed and began dusting the ornaments on the walls.

"You're wrong Rei-chan."

Rei's grasp on the okimono loosened momentarily.

"Itachi…Itachi does love his family. But I think everyone misunderstands him in this clan. While he is serious about work, he doesn't hold the same values everyone does as far as politics and clans. He does all the work because he was raised to do it. But Itachi also hates the hierarchies of the clan. I think I understand now why he never got along with anyone. Why he always tried to find a way out of the work given to him. Why he kept to himself most of the time. Itachi couldn't find anyone in the clan who could understand the way he saw things, how he hates the structure and the lifestyle. Maybe he didn't even realize himself what he was doing, but when he kept meeting with me, I think it was his only way out. I think I was the first person outside the clan he was really close to, and he found a connection with me when he knew I didn't grow up the way he had. I had a life that was exactly what he envisioned. That's why…that's why I think he kept coming back. That's why, we're such good friends and that's why I understand him much more than you think."

"Well, you certainly have a way with words, but let me ask you this. If there was a problem that you were causing, would you be willing to do the right thing?"

"Uh, what do you mean? Like what…"

"What I mean is if there came a point in time when your involvement with the clan clashed with our whole system, would you be willing to continue interfering solely for your own selfish reasons? Or would you be willing to let go of Itachi if it was concluded that doing such actions would be in the best interest of everyone? In other words, would you be willing to sacrifice your own personal happiness for his and the clan?"

"Eh? Well I'm not quite sure what you mean, but if you're saying would I ever do something to jeopardize the clan then my answer is no. But sacrifice? I think that's a little extreme. I don't see why a sacrifice is necessary. Negotiations and compromises…I think that's much more suitable. If we all work together, there's no reason for anyone to get hurt."

"Ninjas are presented with impossible choices at times. If there came a moment, would you surrender your happiness for his?"

"If there is no other choice, I guess so. Itachi's happiness is important to me. And if he no longer wanted me in his life, I would accept that."

"Then you understand that it's always in _his _best interest and not yourself, correct?"

"Yes, Rei-chan. But I could say the same to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone always thinks of the clan and themselves. Doesn't anyone think of others, if people are truly happy this way? Why do you hold onto these traditions if they hurt other people?"

"Shut up. You have no idea what you're talking about. You know nothing of clans and what we do, how they help people. Clans are the very foundation of this society; it's how this village was formed. To go back and eliminate clans means to destroy everything for which we have worked so hard to establish."

"I wasn't trying to dismiss clans; I simply meant that maybe some things could change for the better."

"And you're going to be the one to change them, I presume?"

Usagi sighed. This wasn't where she wanted the conversation to go at all. "Look, I didn't mean to insult you and your family. I was just talking about Itachi. I just wish everyone would leave us alone. I mean, I'm not hurting anyone. He's not either. He still goes to work and gets everything done that he needs to. I mean, we kept it a secret for two years or so and nothing bad happened so it can't be all that jeopardizing, right?"

Rei's eyes narrowed. It was a painful reminder that Itachi and the girl had all those years of secret meetings to themselves. She didn't want to postulate what their meetings constituted. The idea of Itachi intimately knowing this girl and quite possibly giving up his virtue for her was maddening enough that she was tempted to shatter the object in her hands right onto sacred ground.

"I think your time here has expired. I ask that you leave now."

"But…"

"Now!"

There was no point in trying to make any amends. It was obvious that Rei had no intention of reconciling with her or understanding her pleas. Usagi walked out silently when she continued to clean the establishment, making it a point not to address her presence. Her feet slowly moved along the stone paths; the landscape from earlier was no longer as riveting.

"It's not like you to be so down."

Her ears perked up to the sound of his voice but despite it all, she couldn't find it in her heart to even smile in response.

"What's gotten you so depressed? Did something happen?"

Itachi was rearranging several charms on a nearby sakura tree and any other time, she would have poked fun of how silly he looked with several charms hanging around his neck like jewelry; however, Rei's rejection of her friendship was still a fresh wound and thus she settled for a mere shake of the head.

"No, I'm fine. Just tired."

"If you want, I can tell my father to back off. I'll let him know something came up in your team. After all, emergencies do happen every day."

Usagi immediately brightened up. She remembered his father's face and Mikoto's inspiring words to not give up. Just because one attempt to bridge a relationship failed did not mean another attempt should be missed. "No! I'm fine. I can do this!"

"Well, if he does bother you some more you can always…"

Itachi's eyes narrowed, and Usagi wasn't sure if it was due to the sun or genuine distaste for the oncoming presence slowly ascending the stone staircase.

"Itachi," Fugaku nodded and gave another nod of acknowledgment to Usagi. "I have a few more assignments before the work day is done. As soon as this is over, everyone will be relieved from duty."

"Everyone?"

"Yes. You, girl, will also be accompanying us on this task."

He still wouldn't acknowledge her name, something she found quite insulting but opted not to act upon.

"As will Rei."

Itachi's dark eyes narrowed at the name. The man was up to something. He just knew it.

"Now then, I have to deliver these documents, so the two of you wait here. We'll be right back."

Neither was comfortable speaking until his presence was no longer detected.

"Usagi, go home."

"Huh?"

"I'll tell him you had an emergency. Go home, now."

"What's wrong? Did I do something to upset you?"

"He's up to no good. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's probably best you leave."

She dismissed his claims with a light pat on his shoulder. "I think you're overthinking this, Itachi. What could your father possibly do out in the open? I don't think he's the type to physically hurt others. Am I right?"

"There's more than one type of pain, Usagi. And I would rather not chance it."

"You're overreacting. And anyway, I have no intention of leaving."

Her bold words, confident look and dominant stance left him speechless. He knew once Usagi set her mind to something, she wouldn't back down.

"Fine. Just keep your guard up."

"Yeah, I will."

The two waited patiently for Fugaku to return. He carried a newly clad Rei in tow.

The dark-haired women's gaze targeted Usagi immediately and maintained the contact as she descended down the stone path. Her eyes shouted a secret command to walk behind as she would be the leading female. Usagi obeyed hesitantly, not wanting to start a confrontation.

"If everyone is ready, let's get a move on."

Their first destination was a weapons shop. Itachi instantly recognized it as the one he visited with his brother not too long ago.

"The katana from earlier were confiscated from an illegal fighting ring. They will now be destroyed by the blacksmith here in the shop. You girl…"

"Me, sir?"

"Follow Rei into the shop. Deliver the weapons. Itachi and I must collect a few items here of our own."

"Yes, sir."

Rei paid no homage to her presence—seeing Usagi as merely a piece of equipment carrying her load.

"Rei-san! It's been awhile since I've seen you around here. How is your father doing?"

"He's off gallivanting about the country. But otherwise fine."

The way the words fell out of her lips left Usagi slightly concerned. There was such an aftertaste of disdain that she felt maybe Rei didn't at all care for her father. But surely that couldn't be the case.

"So these are the weapons that Fugaku wants eliminated?"

"Yes, they were used in illegal operations and thus they cannot be sold to the public. Besides that, they were smuggled in here without any paperwork. We have to cut off our ties or we'll be accused of allowing criminal trafficking."

"Such a shame. These are really nice swords."

"Yes, made with pure high-carbon. Because of how hard high-carbon is, it allows a more deadly cut. Much more useful than the low-carbon ones most people carry."

"You sure know your weapons, Rei-san."

"But doesn't that also make it more brittle?"

Both turned to the blonde clutching onto another box of katana.

"I thought that high-carbon makes the sword more brittle and if you parry a lot, will cause it to fall apart quicker than low-carbon ones. That's why tamahagane contains both types of carbon, to utilize the advantages of each."

The blacksmith smiled widely at Usagi's observation. "As a matter of fact that's right! You're pretty smart, girl. It's hard to find people who understand such a delicate art form. You have a keen eye for observation, maybe even much more than an Uchiha."

Rei frowned at the declaration and interaction between the two. Was the girl purposely trying to show her off?

Usagi shyly rubbed the back of her head. "Actually a friend of mine is really good with weapons. He taught me everything he knows and I just picked up the way to analyze them from him."

Rei scanned the shop until she found Itachi over in a corner observing the features of a small dagger with his father.

"Well, I'm sure you have a lot of work ahead of you. Rei-chan and I will leave you to the weapons, if you don't mind of course."

"Of course not, Miss…"

"Usagi. Just call me Usagi."

"Well, Usagi it is. I hope to see you around more often."

"Yeah me…" Usagi moved out of the way as an upset Rei walked out of the shop. "…too." Despite the warnings in her head, she went after the girl.

"What was all that back there?"

"Excuse me?"

"Trying to show off and make me look bad? Not a smart move, girl."

"I was just offering some conversation. I didn't lie. What I said was true."

"And let me guess. The 'friend' you were talking about was Itachi. Correct?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

"Well, yeah. Itachi taught me everything. In fact, before I became a chuunin, we used to have sword fights so I could understand how to use them. But I was never really good with katana. They're too heavy for me most of the time. So he actually found one that I could use…"

"Are you purposely trying to piss me off?"

"Eh?"

"You know what you're doing. Don't play the fool. Showing off your knowledge, showing off what Itachi taught you, that you two spent so much time together. You're trying to write me off!"

"I'm not! You just asked a question. I answered it."

"Girls like you make me sick. If you're trying to challenge me then be open about it. I hate schemers."

"I'm not a schemer! But what about you? You also said you wanted to get me out of the picture. Isn't that the same?"

"I don't go around plotting behind other people's backs nor feign a lack of understanding to any subject matter. If I have a problem with anything, I just come out and deal with it. That's the kind of person I am. What about you? What kind of person are you?"

"I would like to think I'm an honest person."

"I think you're more sneaky than you let on. You're probably thinking of ways to sneak around and eliminate me from the ring of competition you have."

"Ring of competition? I'm not entering any kind of tournament. Not that I know of anyway."

Rei's hand fisted before a familiar index finger came out to poke the girl's chest. "Listen here, girl. If you so much as try to embarrass me again, I'll make sure to it that you never make it to jounin. In fact, I'll make sure you never step foot outside this village again!"

"That's not fair! I didn't even do anything!"

"I said, quit playing the foo—"

"Is everything fine here?"

Rei immediately regained her composure while Usagi addressed Itachi's concerned looks.

"Everything is fine here, captain. The girl and I were simply having a conversation. Isn't that right?"

"A..ah."

"Very well. Before we move on to the next assignments, we have a quick pick-up at the market for my wife's dinner. Rei-san, you are invited of course to spend dinner with us tonight."

"Why thank you, captain. I appreciate the offer."

Usagi noticed the offer was not extended to her.

"You girl!"

"Yes, captain!" She smiled; perhaps she was invited after all. "Go over to that vendor and retrieve an eel for us." That happy thought was effectively deflated.

"Eel?"

"Yes, that vendor sells the best unagi in the village. My wife is going to prepare some unadon for us. The only thing she is missing is the main dish. Go and get it."

Usagi groaned at the way the request was formed. It wasn't as if she was some type of retriever. "Yes, sir." She approached the tank carefully, not sure as to how she should pick the item.

"Need any help, miss?"

"Yes, I am in need of unagi. Which would you recommend as the best one to purchase for a dinner of five?"

"That big one right there is as fresh as they come. Just grab it and I'll package it for you. If you would like it cut, then please just ask."

"I just…grab it myself?"

"Yes." He went back to pouring salt over several pieces of fresh cod.

"Um, okay."

"Girl, what's taking you so long?"

She looked back over her shoulder to the awaiting trio. "Nothing sir!" She folded her sleeves back before diving right in and trying her best at grabbing the eel he recommended. The unagi, however, was much too slippery for her to grab. It flailed crazily, splashing water everywhere before slipping away.

"Are you okay, miss?"

"Yes, it just…slipped." She went in for the kill again, applying more pressure. The animal went wild again, but she maintained her hold. The task took a turn for the worst when she lifted it out of the water only to have it slap her hands and smash itself onto her face. She took a few steps back and slipped along with it. The animal continued to bounce around on her lap. It caused Usagi to squirm and jump away from the eel. Her mood soured when Rei began to mock her.

"Unagi and Usagi. What a perfect combination. One is a flailing, slimy mud dweller. And the other is a fish."

Usagi narrowed her eyes in response.

Fugaku offered his own light chuckles and stopped his livid son with one hand before he could interfere.

"Here, I'll show you how it's done girl. First you…"

But the water deprived unagi was not allowing any room for conquering. He flailed wilder and jumped onto the next victim. Rei suffered several tail slaps to the face before she too fell over and joined the blonde on the floor. The fugitive eel then jumped back into the tank, offering the two girls one final large splash of water in the process.

"Why don't _I_ just get this for you?"

The two soaked girls turned their heads slowly over to the vendor.

"And I can fillet if for you for free!"

Their glares were effective.

Fugaku frowned when he looked over to his son who did not bother to conceal his smirk. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

He gave a grunt before moving fast and yelling back at everyone to catch up.

Throughout the rest of the trip, he tried his luck and scaring off the girl with any little devious trick he could conjure. For the next assignment, he had her retrieve several flowers needed for herbal remedies. According to her medical records, the girl's allergies were often times affected by pollen and would leave her nose puffed up red. He was not counting, however, for Rei to suffer the same type of treatment.

"You little brat! You gave me rashes!"

"I'm sorry! I just…" a swat of saliva splat on Rei's forehead as Usagi rubbed the bottom of her sniffling nose from the tickling sneeze. "Sorry, I couldn't hold it in."

Rei wiped the phlegm off her head with all the patience she could muster.

More mishaps ensued after that. One assignment to retrieve an item had the girls running through a garden to escape several bees. Another had them doused as a lady from a second floor building dumped her dirty water onto the street. They suffered pepper sprays, barking dogs, mud to their faces and piles of garbage thrown at them before Fugaku relented on his backfired plan and allowed the girls time to clean up in a nearby bathroom.

"This is all your fault, you little brat!"

"My fault? I wasn't the one who tried to swat away the bee! I told you to leave it alone so he wouldn't chase us!"

"Yeah, but it was _your_ fault that my face was slathered in mud!"

"I didn't see the rickshaw coming down the hill, okay? I'm sorry."

"Whatever, just keep your distance from me. You're an endangerment to my health and well-being." Rei grabbed several paper towels and wiped her face clean. When she was certain her hair and body were rejuvenated, she stormed past the girl.

"Just relax, okay?" Usagi hastily followed Rei as soon as she was done.

"I will _not_ relax. You have made this day a huge pain in the…captain!"

Usagi rolled her eyes at Rei's quick change in demeanor.

"Are you girls freshened up?"

"Yes, sir." Rei followed the captain's lead, frowning when Itachi tailed behind to speak with Usagi. The two played the part of a loving couple so much it plagued her with envy.

"Rei, why don't you share your progress with us? Have you been keeping yourself busy?"

"There's not much to tell. I've just been fulfilling my duties to the clan. My grandfather has insisted I start doing more clerical work and so I have. I've dedicated my work for now to the Naka Shrine. Occasionally I visit Neko-baa and tend to her weapons facility there. The academy also enlists my help with the students from time to time and recently I was elected to oversee the chuunin exams. I will be overseeing the clan's preparations for the genin elect as well. So I suppose life has kept me fairly busy."

"That's quite the responsibility you have. But it's to be expected of an Uchiha woman. You've done the clan proud. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, sir."

He had been mentally eyeing her the entire time; Usagi knew it. It was a challenge; silently asking 'what about you Usagi? How much have _you_ contributed to the village? Can you measure up to _that_?' And she couldn't; she really couldn't. She didn't have such an elaborate résumé like Rei. She rarely volunteered aside from some animal rescues and helping her friends and _their_ clans. But even that was not common. Most of the time, she trained or enjoyed her leisure time. It was that thought that made her come to the conclusion that perhaps she was wrong. Maybe _she _was the selfish brat. She rarely helped anyone but herself. Her contributions were minimal. What did she offer the village anyway? Were her mission contributions enough? Did the rest of her teammates do more when they didn't meet? Was _she_ the one acting the part of a spoiled child? She continued to brew in her reassessment of her life.

"Those ideas in your head need to disappear."

"Huh? I wasn't thinking…"

"I'm not an idiot, Usagi."

"Yeah well..."

"You are your own person and you have your own life. Don't compare yourself to the clan. Everyone has their own part to play for the village. Some people cook ramen, some people forge weapons, others engage in missions. Don't belittle your efforts. Every task is significant. Every person as well."

"All right." She smiled at his attempt to cheer her up, but the moment between the two was destroyed by what she knew was a jealous Rei clinging onto Itachi's arm tightly.

"Itachi, look over there!"

Itachi sighed at the jewelry shop meters away knowing full well what Rei had envisioned.

"I know that shop quite well. My wife frequents it. I'm sure there are exquisite pieces of jewelry that will interest you, Rei. Say now, Itachi, why don't you take Rei to the shop and look around. It will give you two a good chance to spend some time together."

"But…"

"I will look after the girl in your leave."

He feared that the most.

"Come on, Itachi. The sooner we enter the shop, the sooner we can return."

It was only when Usagi smiled and nodded that he reluctantly followed Rei.

And the two figures were left to stand and wait.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Rei is one who takes her role seriously. She brings pride to this clan. Her contributions are far too many to list."

"Yes, even I can see that."

"She's charismatic, strong-willed, beautiful, determined, hard-working, intelligent and courageous. She's everything a woman would want to be and everything a man could desire for one."

"She'll make a wonderful wife someday." She finished his unspoken thought.

"For Itachi, yes. I'd expect no less considering her lineage."

She allowed him to talk. Maybe if she just pretended she wasn't there, he would leave her alone. But he was baiting her with that last statement. "Why don't you just be direct with me, sir?"

"Excuse me?"

"I know why you brought her here."

"This is hardly appropriate conversation to be having out in public."

"And yet trying to find ways to embarrass me while making Rei look good is?"

He didn't reply.

"You wanted to prove something to me."

"And what would that be?"

"You wanted to show me what an Uchiha woman was like. You wanted to show her off, show how insignificant I was."

"You're making a scene."

The glare didn't waver.

"You planned it all, didn't you? From the very start. You never intended to get to know me better. You just wanted me to meet her."

His fingers barely twitched.

"I know why you did it."

"Did what?"

"I rather not insult your intelligence, sir."

He knew there was no point in hiding it. "I know what kind of girl you are."

"I don't think you do, sir."

"Please, don't play dumb. You want my son for his rank, his position in the clan. Don't think I'm stupid enough to believe you understand him on some psychological level that his own family can't grasp. That's absurd and asinine."

"I don't want anything from Itachi because of his position. When I first met your son, I didn't even know his title. Nor was I familiar with Uchiha very much for that matter."

"But when you did, you were more eager to know him personally. Isn't that right?"

"I won't deny that I felt your son was most appropriate in helping me train, but everything after that—our meetings and friendship—was all based on him. Not his rank, not his title, not his clan. I only saw Itachi for what he was. And I'll tell you this right now, sir: I care about your son and he is a good friend of mine. Please don't underestimate my understanding of him."

"You seem to have full comprehension of the situation and are becoming rather bold in speaking with me; therefore, I will be forward and put my all my cards on the table. I don't like you. I don't like you with my son. I don't care for you, nor do I care for your involvement with my family. Let it be known now that I will never accept you as you are now. If you understand my words, if you understand my devotion to my family then I ask you to please step away now. Leave my son alone. I don't think you to be a bad kid; your records show otherwise. But nothing good will come of my son becoming too involved with you. Do we have an accord?"

"Why is it so important that you have to have control over every aspect of your son's life? Why are you threatened by someone like me? I have no lineage as you like to remind me. I hold no power. So why am I so threatening to you?"

His nostrils flared. "I do not find you threatening. I find you a hindrance."

"I think Mikoto-san is right. You're scared of me. You're scared Itachi will abandon his duties if he finds someone outside the clan. You're scared that he'll leave his family. But, sir, you're jumping to conclusions! Itachi is not like that at all. He would never leave your clan for something as silly as a girl. Surely you don't think so low of your own son."

"I am not afraid. I simply despise disorder. And I do hold confidence in my son. But at the moment, I find you a disruption in my son's life as well as unnecessary competition for his future wife. And I will not have some little orphan who doesn't even hold a set of contributions for this village, monopolize my son's time. But I would expect no less from someone without parents to guide her."

She swallowed hard at the low hit. "That was uncalled for, sir."

"Hmm. You're dismissed. I will declare this matter settled. Now leave my son in peace as well as our family so we can—"

"No."

Fugaku's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"I believe this is your son's decision, not yours. If you want me to stop seeing your son, then I need to hear it from _his_ words. I will respect the command if it's Itachi who tells me to leave—no one else."

"You've got a lot of nerve talking to a superior officer like that. You're not even a part of our clan so how dare you…"

"That's right. I'm not a part of your clan; therefore I am not subject to the same rules. Whatever structure you have developed for your family won't work with me. I'm sorry."

"Fine. Then don't bother…"

"I will be reporting for duty tomorrow morning as well. And the next morning and next until your son no longer sees me fit to attend. While I am not a part of your clan's society, I have accepted responsibility for the work at headquarters."

"Very well. So be it." He took the bags of groceries from her hands before giving her a nod. "You are relieved of your duties for today."

"Fine by me," she disappeared quickly.

Fugaku's composure eased up at soon as Usagi disappeared. When Rei and Itachi returned with a newly purchased bracelet, he smiled with satisfaction. Things would progress far more smoothly from here.

"Well, I trust you found something suitable to fit your tastes, Rei?"

Rei showed off the golden bracelet on her hand which reflected the sunlight off of it. "Of course, Itachi truly knows fine jewelry when he sees it."

Itachi was now alert to a new development. He knew Rei was trying to show off to Usagi again, but there was something off about her plan. The girl was nowhere in sight. He thought at first that perhaps his father had sent her on another trivial mission but her chakra was completely void in the vicinity.

"Where's Usagi?"

"She had more pressing matters to tend to. I relieved her of her duty as such. Now then, Rei, why don't you and..."

Itachi was neither naïve nor stupid.

"What did you do to h—"

"Itachi, there is no need to start a quarrel with your father on such a trivial matter and in public, no less. Let the girl be. An emergency is an emergency after all. Or would you rather interrupt her busy schedule?"

"Rei is right. In any case, think this as a golden opportunity for you two."

"What do you mean?" He asked despite knowing exactly that his father had accomplished what he set out to do from the beginning.

"It's been years since you and Rei have had time to converse. I will leave you two alone to bond and become well acquainted once again."

"I…"

"Consider this an official mission and the last in your day. As soon as Rei sees it fit, you will be released until tomorrow."

His father's stern look and Rei's dominant stance had him sigh in resignation to the request. There was no reason to argue against two Uchiha who stood defiantly before him.

"Ah. I understand."

"Good. I will leave you two alone then."

Rei immediately dove in for his arm when Fugaku left. She knew Itachi would run away otherwise. "Let's go down to the senbei shop. You can buy me some treats while we talk for a little while. I want to take this opportunity to get your input."

Itachi followed her slowly, head down, until they reached the shop. There was no anticipation to the forthcoming conversation. This was further exalted when Rei pulled out a scroll of schematics. There were several drawn people in different scenarios. Knowing she was part of the chuunin committee, he knew it had to be battle plans. It was duty once again.

"I have here some strategies for your little brother. I think Sasuke could benefit from some endurance training. The boy has very little stamina and I worry about long-range fighters drawing out the battle to expose this weakness. Now which plan do you think is more effective? The tiger form or perhaps eagle?"

Itachi nibbled on a senbei while lazily staring at the clouds.

"Itachi!"

"Sasuke can meet any of your expectations. Whichever form you see most suitable for the moment will work. There's no point in sticking to one strategy unless you are aware of the situation that's being presented."

"So you're saying to teach Sasuke all of them and let him find which style is most suitable given the circumstances in battle?"

"Ah."

She scribbled down the notes quickly and sighed when Itachi continued to stare at the clouds. "I bet if Usagi was here, you would pay her more mind." She knew the statement was effective when he snapped on his cookie a little harder than normal.

"I already warned you, Rei. Leave Usagi out of this. She doesn't concern you or the clan."

"Your father seems to think otherwise."

"My father needs to mind his own business, as do you."

She continued jotting away notes. "My, my. Look at you go. The girl has already got you eating out of the palm of her hands."

"What do you mean?"

"First comes denial, then anger after that. You get defensive and protective over her until pretty soon, you begin to fight back."

"I simply want you to leave her alone. If you do that, I assure you that my work will not be compromised. Usagi is very well aware how busy I am. We have an understanding."

"I will take you at your word for now. Just remember Itachi, your family comes first."

"Hmm."

"Now enough of this talk. We've made it quite clear where we both stand in the situation so we can move on from there. Instead, I would like to continue on with these battle plans. I want to submit them by tomorrow afternoon so that I can revise them on time if necessary."

He wanted nothing more than to ditch her and her work. There were so many other activities he would rather indulge in at the moment. While work was always a priority, he chose not to be emerged in it constantly as a break from time to time was necessary for his mental stability. Having Rei around would mean that wouldn't be the case. His duties would follow him everywhere.

"Now then, what do you think of this right here? Did we get the trajectories right?"

She asked for input constantly and he tried his best to remain attentive. He received his first grace of salvation when Uruchi placed a tray of teacups on the table.

"Itachi-chan, how are you today?"

"Ah. Fine."

"It's been a while since you stopped by here. I'm glad to see you're doing well. And Rei-chan of course, too."

"I'm fine, Auntie Uruchi. We're just working on the upcoming chuunin exams."

"That's good to hear. We should have a good turnaround unlike last time. It's such a shame that only two Uchiha were made chuunin in the last few exams. I guess that's why everyone is working so hard now."

"Yes, we need to pick up the pace if we are to reestablish our position in society."

"Yes, I agree."

Itachi let out a sharp tsk at the trivial talk between the two. Clans always judged things based on their own personal gain, never on what the village had acquired. But memories resurfaced from two chuunin exams ago and he smirked recalling what decisive battle had decided the Uchiha's fate for that exam. The girl in question came to mind and he tried desperately to come up with an escape plan to go after her and make sure her father had done no long-term damage in his absence. His silent pleas were answered when the clouds parted to reveal a stream of sunlight shining down on his unexpected saviour.

"Itachi, where are you going?"

"I simply need to relay some information to Shisui. Just give me a few minutes."

"But…"

"Just be patient for a little while." He jogged away before another protest reached his ears. It was the best way to deal with girls like Rei.

"Itachi?"

The first thing he noticed was Shisui's casual attire. The man was not currently on duty, thus making his next move so much simpler to execute. The second thing he noticed was a familiar girl with crossed arms and an angry pout.

"What are you two doing here?"

Minako's thumb hitched towards Shisui while her anger never dissipated. "I was delivering something to police headquarters, when this asshole here started to tail me. Itachi-san, can't you tell him to go away?"

He knew how to solve both their problems as well as his. "Actually, there is something I would like some help with, assuming you two could spare some time for it of course."

"Anything to get away from him."

"I resent that."

"Actually, you see that girl back there with dark hair. The one writing on the scrolls?"

Minako blocked the sunlight before her eyes focused in on Rei. "Yeah, I see her."

"Do you think you can occupy her time for just a little while? I need to speak with Shisui for just a few minutes."

"Um, yeah. Sure, I can do that."

She didn't know what exactly was going on but decided that helping Itachi out was an improvement from arguing constantly with Shisui. Minako approached the table quietly, and her new companion was immediately aware that a foreign presence was standing before her.

"Hey."

"Hello."

Rei continued her writing. Despite her invisible katana slaying away at the girl; the nuisance would not leave. "Can I help you with anything?"

"No. I just came to hang for a little bit."

"You came to _what_?" This was the second time in one day a complete stranger offered companionship. What was it with blondes and their incessant need to meddle in a stranger's affairs?

Minako's eyes widened with delight at the tray of tea and senbei on the table. "Oh my gosh! This is amazing. I'm so hungry right now!" She wasted no time in slipping three cookies into her mouth while downing the whole cup of tea.

"Excuse me! Do you mind?"

Minako paused her actions abruptly, a slight red tint in her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Did you want some?" She offered the half eaten cookie to the woman.

Rei cringed in disgust and bowed her head to keep the image of the woman's open mouth from her eyes. "Not anymore."

"Okay, then!"

The gobbling sounds ensued, much to Rei's annoyance. "You're a Yamanaka."

Minako smiled brightly.

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Rei barely had enough time to shield her face from the barrage of cookie crumbs. "Can you please eat with your mouth closed? Or at the very least, try not speak with a full mouth."

She swallowed angrily. "You're an Uchiha right? Figures. You guys always have this giant kunai stuck up your asses."

"I beg your pardon!"

"Seriously, you guys need to learn to relax and have a little fun."

"There is nothing humorous about slobbered food trying to enter my own esophagus."

"Esopho-gas? I didn't know senbei caused gas."

"Oh, for crying out loud…" Rei's finger angrily tapped on the table. "Where is Itachi?"

"What business do you have with him?"

"Personal. Not that it's of any importance to you."

"Personal, huh? Well, I wouldn't bother trying to get his attention. He's not interested, I'm sure. But if you must know, he's talking to Shisui."

"Shisui? Oh, I see now. You're his latest conquest."

"Fuck you! I didn't even want that guy to follow me!"

"It won't be long until he has you flat on your back."

"For your information, I have a little more dignity than that!"

"Only a little, huh?"

Minako's face was red and she squeezed the napkin until it tore in two. "Well what about you? Are you trying to steal Itachi for yourself? I guess it's hard for you to find a guy so you have to settle for screwing your cousin."

Rei slammed the pen on table. "He is _not_ my cousin, you little brat!"

"Ooh, someone's sensitive."

"Reverting to childhood tactics to try to draw anger from me? I expect no more from a Yamanaka."

"What do _you_ know? You're trying to get it on with your family."

"I already told you, we're not cousins. In anyway, I could say the same about you and your clan."

"That's why I'm marrying out. You can never be too sure. At first I thought an Uchiha might be suitable, but after meeting you and Shisui, I think I retract my first opinion. You guys lack class."

"As if a Yamanaka would understand class."

"Much more than a bitch like you would!"

"At least I don't run my mouth with such foul obscenities."

Minako slammed her hands on the table. "Leave my damn pet bird out of this!"

Rei's finger found a way to her temple. "Apparently they lack dictionaries as well."

"I'll have you know I own three!"

"Apparently, they aren't being utilized. Or what? The manga section is far more riveting at the moment?"

"Fuck you! Manga is awesome! It's much more interesting than the boring crap I'm sure you read."

"My tastes are far more refined than yours. I don't waste time with children's storybooks."

"Well, at least it's creative. I think it's different and makes me unique and interesting. That's why I get more guys than you do, I'm sure."

"I wouldn't label that as a positive trait."

"Are you calling me a whore, you bitch?"

Rei casually sipped her tea. "You said it, not me."

"I only meant that I can get more guys interested in me than you could. All guys prefer unique girls in some way. That's why Itachi hangs out with Usagi."

Rei's eyes glazed over momentarily at the proclamation. She allowed the Yamanaka to continue ranting as she was unable to find a suitable comeback to her words. She didn't really know why Itachi chose Usagi. He could have any woman he wanted, any Uchiha female. Instead he chose a stupid silly girl who barely made her stamp in life. Why?

Minako basked in the wonderful silence Rei had to offer. "It's true, you know? Itachi picked Usagi over you. I wonder how that must make you feel. Pathetic, I'm sure. And here you are talking about me like I'm worthless. You can't even get Itachi to notice you and you're a member of his clan."

It wouldn't get to her. This Yamanaka would not reduce her to petty squabbles. Rei stiffened her heart and regained her composure by straightening her posture. "As usual, you run your mouth without thinking about the validity to your statements. Itachi _will_ leave the girl. I guarantee you that. Until then, I refuse to waste my time arguing with a girl who is trying to move up in ranks with another clan by submitting herself to sexual pleasures."

"I am not doing that! I already told you. Shisui followed _me_. He won't leave me alone! He's like a little flea that won't go away."

"That boy never changes. But I suppose one philandering character deserves another."

"I don't even know what that means!"

"I can see you're putting a literature orchestrated with a defined outline of our language to good use."

"Now we're talking about music? Quit jumping around in the conversation!"

"You Yamanaka…I swear. How you managed to make it this far in life is beyond me."

Minako was ready demonstrate exactly how they made it this far but was interrupted by another annoying presence. "Will you just go away! Seriously, you Uchiha are like parasites."

"Well, Minako, unfortunately I have a request to fulfill." He pulled up a chair and settled down right beside the annoyed blonde. "Ooh, cookies."

"What are you doing, Shisui?"

"Eating cookies."

Rei fumed from his lack of eating etiquette and meddling actions. "I meant, why are you here?"

"Oh, Itachi asked me to help you out with the chuunin work you're doing. So let's see what you got here." He took a bite of the cookie before continuing. "Ah, tiger style. That's a good one. But why don't we use that only for a one-on-one battle. It won't work in swarms."

Rei concealed the contents of the scroll from the cookie crumbs that were falling off his mouth. "Where is Itachi, Shisui?"

"Oh, something came up. He said he'll meet up with you later. He has to take care of something right away."

"It's that girl, isn't it?"

"What girl?"

"You know who I'm talking about!"

"Haven't a clue. Hey, Minako, pass that tray over here. I want some tea."

"Screw you, this one's mine!"

"Actually, it's probably Itachi's so hand it over."

Rei's eyebrow twitched at the loud conversation. Despite Shisui reaching over to add in his own comments in the scrolls, she just couldn't concentrate when he was openly flirting with another girl at the table. Not caring about continuing her current assignment, she abruptly stood and rolled up the scroll to save the assignment for later.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Tell Itachi I will see him at dinner tonight with his family, and I demand that next time he not flee from his duties."

"I will relay the message as soon as I see him."

"See to it that you do."

Minako nibbled at the cookie, deciding that perhaps the boy's company was better than Rei's after all. "Who _was_ that bitch?"

"Rei? She's a member of our clan. She works for the Uchiha Police and Naka Shrine."

"I don't like her."

He chuckled. "Rei's not that bad, actually. She is a bit snippy and pushy, but that's just because her dad is a politician and raised her that way. The girl is actually very nice when you get used to her."

"I still don't like her." She blew bubbles into her cup.

"You know, you kind of remind me of her in some ways."

"Now, I'm offended."

"I didn't mean that in a bad way. The two of you have such strong personalities. That's probably why there was so much hostility in your little greeting."

Minako pouted. "You saw?"

"Oh yeah. I was quite amused, actually. The two of you could pass off for sisters, even more so than you and Usagi."

"Whatever. She's still a stuck up bitch."

"Well, just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"That I won't be called in to investigate the missing body of one Uchiha Rei."

"I promise."

"Really?"

She finished the rest of her tea in one go. When she was satisfied that the treats she consumed would suffice until her next big meal, she stood up and hoisted the bag in her hands over her shoulders. She knew Shisui was curious about her answer, but she continued to leave him in suspense as she brushed away crumbs of cookies and wiped her mouth clean. It was only as she was walking away, that she smirked and looked back at his inquisitive eyes.

"Yes. After all, Yamanaka are masters of mind control and manipulation. We know how to cover our tracks well."

His sincere smile caused a flutter in her stomach. She knew she had to play the escape artist before Rei's premonition would come to fruition.

* * *

Either she wasn't answering the door or her absence in the household was genuine. Itachi sighed when the knocks went unanswered and after careful deliberation, he surveyed his environment, careful not to be seen. He pulled out a small metal pin from his vest pocket and proceeded to pick through the lock of her balcony windows. Only a few twists and a pull later did the lock click open. He entered immediately and searched for her whereabouts but to no success. The girl was genuinely not in her house.

"Where could she be?"

She wasn't in her apartment. She wasn't in the library, market, bookstore, park, training field, restaurants or tea shop. Knowing that her most frequented places were scratched off his list, he could only conclude that the girl did not, in fact, want to be found. He worried. What had his father done to make her so upset? _Was_ she upset? Or perhaps she was angry? He should have known better than to allow her to spend the day close to his father. From the very first moment his father laid out her duties, he knew there was an ulterior motive behind it all. It wasn't an effort to get to know her. It wasn't a chance to bond with the girl as his mother suggested. The man was out to get rid of Usagi. In any way he could.

Itachi continued to circle the village. His trek eventually led him to open field just outside the forest area. There was a large grassy hill overlooking the village. The area was secluded; even animals could not be heard. But it would be the perfect place to have solitude. He needed time to think and plan out what he would do next. When he found the perfect place to meditate, he realized he wasn't as alone as he thought. His feet turned to find another haven, but his eyes immediately spotted the back of a blonde's head.

"Usagi?"

Her surprised eyes found his. "Itachi? What are you doing here?"

"I could say the same to you."

"I come here sometimes to look at the sunset."

He climbed the small hill and settled down on the grass right beside her. The view of the village was even more spectacular than he first envisioned. Even more amazing was the sun that was beginning to set. The hill offered the perfect angle to exploit all the bright colors.

"When I was growing up, every time I was angry, sad or felt lonely, I would come here to this spot. So I could think and relax."

"Ah, but the question is, which are you right now?"

Usagi clenched her hands.

"And why?"

"Well, I mean it's been such a long day, so I thought I would come here and unwind before…"

"You changed your clothes so obviously you had time to go back to your house."

"Yeah, and then I came here because I got bored—"

"What did he say to you?"

"Huh?"

"My father, what did he say to you?"

"What? Who? I mean…I don't…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Usagi, please."

She released a frustrated sigh as she let her legs dangle over the edge of the cliff. The sunlight was fading slowly, as was her good mood.

"Itachi, is lineage so important?"

"Usagi, did my father say anything hurtful to you in any way regarding your family?"

Despite her silent response, he already knew the answer. Usagi was getting more nervous as he pressed on the conversation.

"Don't listen to him. Don't listen to any of them. My clan has a very narrow self-perception of a person's value. It's distorted, unjust and irrational. I wouldn't pay any mind to it if I were you."

"Okay."

"But that's not enough to appease you, is it?"

"It's just…I…I mean, I don't know what I did wrong. I've been trying so hard."

"My father has unreasonable expectations. Don't try to meet them."

"But _you_ do."

"I'm a different story."

"Are you suggesting I'm inferior to you?"

"Not at all. I was just…"

"But you're suggesting that I'm not capable of meeting his expectations. Everyone in your clan is able to, but I'm not. So obviously you must think that I'm not worthy enough."

"I wasn't indicating anything towards your capabilities. You misunderstand what I meant by 'unreasonable expectations', Usagi."

"Huh?"

"My father has already set his mind in what he wants; therefore, anything that you do will not be sufficient. The expectations I am referring to are not in regards to your own abilities as a ninja."

"You're talking about Rei, right?"

"Yes."

"I know why your father summoned her. I'm sure you're not oblivious to it either."

"Ah."

She sighed and leaned back against her hands for support. "I know it shouldn't bother me. I shouldn't care at all. But, just…I don't know."

"Rei won't pester you. She's already assured me of it."

"It's not that. It's just, it made me realize something."

"What's that?"

"No matter what I do, I'll never be good enough."

He knew she was no longer just referring to his father. He remained silent to allow her to continue.

"I'm always going to be competing against other people, for very different things. But always…it will always be clans. In the end, they will always win."

"Being part of a clan doesn't mean you're guaranteed success. Have you already forgotten that you've bested some of the strongest of them? Michio lost to you despite his advantages."

"But that was because you trained me. It wasn't my own strength."

"People get coached all the time. He did, as did you. But you seem to be under the impression that I won your battle for you."

"Well, if you didn't train me, then I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did. If you didn't train me, I would never have won against him. If you didn't train me, I would still be a genin."

"Maybe. Maybe not. But there's something you don't understand. I only acted as a guide. Just because I gave you some extra tips, does not mean you were guaranteed growth. You could have failed to follow through the training. You could have failed to get stronger. You could have failed the exams. You could have failed to meet my expectations..."

Usagi shyly looked up.

"But you didn't. Usagi, you made it. All the training, all the hard work, everything you did…that was you. It was always you."

His sweet words were a gentle breeze in her ear. When there was no smirk or sarcastic remark to accompany the statement, she knew he was sincere about it. The current colors of the late afternoon sky were painted on her cheeks as a result, and her heart followed with an erratic beat.

"I…thank you. That means a lot to me. It really does."

He was nervous now, too, after realizing just how deep the conversation was going. He cleared his throat to break the serious atmosphere.

"Anyway, you should just forget about it for now. Don't worry about anything else."

"Yeah, I know. Things have a way of working out for themselves."

He returned her smile and leaned back to enjoy the landscape around them. The wind picked up, carrying with it several seeds of dandelions which played around at their feet. He then smelled vague traces of freshly grown fruit and honey from a nearby garden. It was moments like these that the two were reminded of a time when things were much simpler. A time when they could be carefree—without the weight of their worlds pushing down on them.

They sat in absolute silence as the sun began to set on them both.

* * *

**End Chapter**

* * *

Notes:

1. The sea otter painting is a request from my friend. She has just picked up Pokemon B/W and loves Oshawott (he's becoming pretty popular in my workplace too). I was challenged to fit something like it in this chapter. (Now imagine that the whole Uchiha fence is a giant Oshawott! Down comes that 4th wall...)  
2. For those of you who don't know, Tekka is a canon Uchiha character. Out of all the men I saw, he seemed to me the one who could play off this role the best. 3. There are quite a few Uchiha OC's, though they are not too significant so there is no need to point them out.  
4. A lot of people have asked for Rei. I couldn't answer anyone's questions regarding her since her role was already established early on in production. She seemed to fit the role of an Uchiha well and since she worked at a shinto shrine in the story and there was the Naka shrine here, well it all fit perfectly.  
5. Unadon is a donburi dish. So basically unagi kabayaki over a bowl of rice. Very delicious (expensive in my country).  
6. I have no goal set in mind when I write chapters as to how long they need to be. Some are 30 pages and some are 80. That's just how it goes. I simply write down what needs to be covered. I refuse to cut anything out for the sake of quick updates. This will result in messy, choppy, and less than par chapters. I hate when authors do that. I rather they wait a couple of months to get things organized. The result would be a rushed, fast paced chapter in a story that doesn't need it. Some stories are good with it, some not. This story has too much to explore that offering you a ten page chapter, for instance, would have given you scene one and then that's it. Then the next chapter scene two. How would that look? Sloppy right? I hope you come to understand the necessity for the lengths and understand that it does, in fact, take some time from my professional career to do so. That's why some updates take so long. I stayed up long nights with my betas to get this chapter done and polished in a month. There was much to revise before everything was greenlighted by them. It's a long tedious process that is still not perfect but one I hope you enjoy nonetheless and come to appreciate. If you enjoy this story, please pass the link along. I am also enjoying the journey in writing it. We'll see where it takes us.

For those of you who don't have an account and want questions answered, you need to leave some form of contact information. Otherwise, you may have to wait months until you get an answer.

_lalala_: I just read your question as I was updating so you lucked out. If Itachi was truly trying to put her down, I doubt Usagi would take it from him. It's more like a mixture of frustration from her antics and teasing. How often do we hear her friends call her "baka Usagi" in the series without her getting upset? Friends should be able to tell each other everything. I like to think that sometimes they are similar to Naruto and Sasuke in how they treat each other. Also, don't forget that sometimes, Usagi has a few choice words for him as well ;3

* * *

Once again, thank you for reading,

_~IceHaze_


	10. a- Quantification

**Disclaimer:** All your Sailor Moon and Naruto are not belong to me.  
**Warnings:** Language, Violence  
**Author's Notes:** And you thought I would go the year without updating. Ha! I showed you! Well, I kind of have to now that the world didn't end. Darn. Anyway, Happy Holidays to everyone! Enjoy this late gift from me. Although you might hate me for it.

* * *

**Quantification**

* * *

There was barely a breath of wind in the air as the two figures eyed each other warily under the relentless heat of the summer sun. The rest of the villagers had long abandoned the streets and sought shelter in nearby shops and alleyways. Curious heads carefully peeked from behind boarded windows and fish barrels, watching as the two figures began to pace slowly toward each other. Teeth chattering, fingernails scraping against the old wooden rails, and low whimpering were but a ghostly whisper in the deafening silence. It wasn't until a large hiss and fierce rattling noises shook the very windows of the shop that even cowering had hung itself.

"You've come to the wrong town little girl." He circled her once then twice before whispering softly in her ear. "Why not head home and play with your doll collection?"

She smirked confidently and brushed aside the faint tickling of his tongue.

"I won't leave until I've defeated you. Your reign of terror on this village ends now." She fisted her hands and poised her body for battle before adding an afterthought. "And also, those dolls are for display only."

The blue reptilian creature scoffed the remark away before he spat on the ground and slithered away, making note of the young girl before him as she flicked away a blonde stray hair behind her ear.

"This is a dangerous game, kunoichi. You really think a little girl like you has what it takes to make it in a man's world?"

One step became two and the creature narrowed his eyes at the girl's steady and fearless pace as she continued to inch towards him.

"Very well."

Her hand rested carefully on the edge of her holster, fingers clenching and unclenching in quick snaps as she stared into his hypnotizing gaze. Eyes narrowed in on his long spiky tail as it slithered along the ground like a snake. Her ears twitched noticeably upon the sound of rattling noises. And when a giant whoosh of wind picked up behind her, she immediately rolled away from the impact of his oncoming tail.

The monster's putrid breath became evident as he bared his giant fangs and released successive volleys of flaming orbs.

Left and right she dodged his fireballs until in a moment of agitation, the beast sprung forward and lunged right at her. Upon seeing this offense, her hand reached back to her holster and shot out several rounds of shuriken in a speed unprecedented by any shinobi or kunoichi before her.

The monster growled and hissed as he flinched from each strike of metal that made contact with his body.

"Child's play."

He ducked from the oncoming barrage by striking his tail to the ground in a loud thud to create enough sand and dirt for cover. Once the entire land was covered in a thick layer of dust, he immediately dove right for the ground, leaving behind only an open hole as a clue to his disappearance.

The young woman removed the red bandana from her mouth as the dust dissipated. She glared at the hole and spit a soft 'coward' into the deaf ears of the land. After a moment's hesitation, she closed her eyes and allowed the soft breeze to tickle her ears. Chimes in the distance were being swayed by the wind. Old aluminum cans tied into a clever ornament began to rattle against pots and pans. The smell of oil from a broken lantern wafted in the air, overpowered by the dense smell of sand. She stiffened as she heard the dust pick up and a barely audible sound of quaking earth beneath her feet.

One miniscule movement of her head had the tip of his tail catch only air. She jumped away from what she knew was to be his emerging body. And sure enough, the animal resurfaced in a trembling fury as the very ground was torn apart from his reappearance. The lightning quick movement of his tail dove right for her in a strangle hold. But he growled as she jumped onto his head and out of harm's way. The simple audacity of disrespect towards his existence had him roaring up another storm and he slid along the ground as he shot right for her landing spot. But before he could register her presence, she was now lunging at him in high speed—a silver arrow glittering in the sky.

"You little brat! I won't go down that easily!"

His long tail was tossed forward as a shield, but his slender pupils narrowed when the arrow disappeared and reappeared by his cheek, a tiny trickle of blood falling from a newly engraved cut.

"How did…?"

But he didn't have time to process the fresh cut as another wound appeared on his leg, another on his eye, one more on his tail and a final tackle to the chest left him winded and gasping for breath.

"Why you…damn bitch. I'll get you for that."

Another round of weapons flew by, and he dodged all as his fangs sought her predicted path.

"I've got you now!"

But in one quick stroke, she slashed her way through, and his mouth bled openly as he stared in horror at what he just witnessed.

"M-my fangs! Y-you…"

She sheathed her katana as she turned to face him, content with the befuddled look on his face.

His rage grew and he threw his tail up once more to spiral around his body.

She jumped back from the wind that was picking up and widened her eyes when a vortex of flames engulfed the beast.

"You won't be able to escape this move, kunoichi!"

Not deterred at all by the enormity of the flaming vortex, she sprung up into the air and allowed the vortex's wind to carry her higher. Her body dove right for the opening of the cyclone and met his now stunned eyes.

"It ends now, Tiamat!"

She wound her hands back and flung a fast projectile right for the beast's head. A graceful dodge had her escape the giant explosion that ceased his attack. She watched victoriously as he stumbled backwards before collapsing onto the hot sand.

It was silent at first, but the villagers soon began to poke out from behind the barrels of fish and broken windows. One brave boy walked carefully to the kunoichi with nothing but a small, old wok as his only means of defense.

"Wh-who are you?"

The villagers waited patiently for the stranger to comply, but she said nothing. The last thing they saw was a small smile and a glimmer of yellow before she became the wind and fled in a streak of silver light.

After a soft sigh of content, Usagi carefully flipped the last page before closing the thin book shut. There was momentarily silence once more.

"Then what happened?"

Her eyes widened only minimally at the question. What started out as reading to herself eventually grew into a reading for two of her fellow comrades at the station. But as she lifted her gaze up from the book for the first time in ten minutes, Usagi realized that the entire break room was now filled with men genuinely intrigued with her story.

"Well, we won't know until a few months."

"A few months?" cried out one of the men. "What do you mean by that?"

"This series is only produced when the author has time. You'll have to wait several weeks for the next chapter."

"Wait a minute. You mean to tell us that if we want to know what happens we may even have to wait half the year?!"

"Yeah, that's right."

The men's jaws dropped and Usagi nervously held her manga close to her chest as a poor means of protection.

"But I want to know if Tiamat is really dead!"

"Idiot, the main villain can't die that easily. He's probably faking it until he can make an escape."

Another man smirked at the remark which garnered the attention of the crowd. After a quick adjustment of his eyeglasses, he raised his finger in the air. "Unless of course, Tiamat wasn't the real villain all along. Maybe the real villain is still hiding somewhere. Yes, absolutely. Tiamat…" The others waited in suspense as he paced about the room before revealing his deduction. "…is a pawn!"

Two of the men let their heads drop in defeat.

"There he goes again with conspiracy theories," one whispered.

"Just the other day he was talking about how the new lunch menu schedule at the academy is connected to the assassination attempts of the daimyo."

The man threw his fists onto the table. "There was a link, damn it!"

Another man's raised hand immediately squelched the oncoming fight. "Never mind Tiamat; what about that Endy guy in the story? I mean, do Serenity and him ever get together or what?"

"You moron! There's a fucking dragon rampaging across the land, and you're worried about who gets laid?"

"What? I support the pairing."

Usagi stifled her giggling with a hand as the men continued to argue amongst themselves over plot holes, character roles and overall story priorities. She smiled at the enthusiasm they shared to one of her secret pleasures.

"Hey, Usagi-san, what do we do until then?!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's such a long time to wait!"

"Yeah, how do we make the time go by faster?"

"Um, well…what do you guys normally do?"

"Work," was the sharp response as Yashiro passed by with a firm look on his face. The officers groaned in protest and reluctantly returned back to work.

Usagi sighed knowing that his raised eyebrow indicated the end of her lunch break as well. After carefully placing her book away in her bag, she walked away from the break room, stopping only when a shadow covered her form.

"Reading to the men? Is this a normal thing you do on break or a recent hobby?"

She smiled at her supervisor as he handed a bag of letters over to her.

"Well I wasn't intending to read out loud, but some people were interested in what I was reading and before I realized what was happening, other people just started to join the fun."

He smiled softly. "Very well, but enough games. Your break is over, so let's get back to work. Did you finish sorting the other mail from earlier?"

"Yeah, I did." She groaned as the heavy bag was dragged on the floor all the way to an area of the building where boxes were aligned along the wall. "But Tekka-san, isn't there something else we could do?"

Tekka carried his own pile of letters as he sorted each one into a designated slot. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Like, can we go patrol or something? I want to go outside."

"Captain wants us to sort through these letters. The guy who normally does it is on sick leave so we have little choice in the matter. You wouldn't want a sick man to fall behind on work now, would you?"

"No," she pouted. Uchiha always had a way to manipulate people by exposing their weak points. And her empathy for others was always well played into their hands.

"Good. Then help me sort these out. The quicker we get them done, the quicker we can move on."

"Fine."

She followed his lead and returned to her sorting duties. After a few hours of silence she deemed to be uncomfortable, her mind picked up an odd melody. She bobbed her head up and down continuously until her feet tapped to follow the rhythm. Ignoring her comrade's questioning looks, she continued her sorting in a more upbeat pace. Before she knew it, she was hopping left and right as letters began to fly into their destinations. And after another minute went by, her hopping and bobbing turned into humming which gradually became whispers and eventually light singing.

"_Fighting evil in the dark of night. The silver arrow takes her flight. Quicker than lightning, her skills are a wonder…"_ Usagi placed a thoughtful finger under her chin as she paused momentarily. "Wonder…wonder. Hey, Tekka-san what rhymes with 'wonder'?"

After a deep sigh, Tekka reluctantly responded. "Blunder."

"Oh yeah, that's good! So like…um…ooh! I know! _Protecting the village from plight and blunder. _Does that make sense to you at all? Should I change it to something else. Or maybe I should make the rhyme scheme completely A, B? What do you think, Tekka-san?"

"I…look…I understand that when I accepted you under my wing, my lifestyle would be altered somewhat. I have long since accepted that you are a peculiar girl with peculiar quirks that should just not be questioned. And Itachi warned me, himself, that it was simply best to go along with anything you do with nothing but a smile as a reply, but please, explain to me why you are singing."

"It's a theme song, Tekka-san."

His eyebrow rose significantly. "Theme song?"

"Have you ever been to those new performances? They call them musicals. I saw one when I was in Kumogakure. The one I saw was an adaptation of one of my favorite manga: _Tasogare Senshi_. It was so cool. And there were a lot of amazing songs, so I thought that it would be equally amazing to make my own script someday for it with the main character fighting against something like a big dragon from this week's chapter. So now I'm working on lyrics for some songs."

After an awkward bout of silence, Tekka turned his attention back to the slots in the wall. "You're weird and quite honestly, I don't even know how to respond to that. But Usagi, there are no dragons here. We're just sorting letters."

She nibbled lightly on the paper in defeat. "Yeah, I guess."

Letters continued to be sorted until a figure walked by and the two stood completely straight in response to their captain who proceeded quietly with documents in tow. Their meek offers of greetings were met with a simple nod as he continued on to his destination.

"Hey, Tekka-san…"

"What?"

"I think I found our dragon."

"Our drag…?" An uncharacteristic snort escaped the man. "Usagi…"

"What? I'm just saying…"

His smile was quickly eradicated by a click of his tongue. "Usagi, let's just finish sorting this, okay?"

"Alright, fine."

She carried her small pile of letters around each box, carefully putting away each into the correct slot. But when two people passed by, secretly offering snickers and whispers to each other, she immediately cocked her head sideways and indulged in yet another distraction. When Tekka was no longer giving her any sign of attention, she sneaked around the corner to begin her spying.

"What do you think those two are doing in there?"

"I don't know. But they sure have been spending a lot of time together recently."

That first piece of information immediately garnered her interest. Her attention to her assignment was lost once again to curiosity, and she stilled to listen to the whispers of the men around the corner as they continued to gossip.

"Yeah, I mean, they have been getting pretty cozy together."

"But he's still in a relationship, right? What are you trying to say?"

"Well, it's just curious, don't you think? The two have done assignments together, she comes over to his house for dinner often and according to some people she even stays over. Plus the boss has been pretty adamant in them doing everything as a pair. It's pretty obvious what's going on."

"So you think he's having an affair with her? But that's not right. I mean he's still with…"

The two boys rounded the corner. Usagi made no effort to flee and instead, offered an inquiring look that stilled the conversation.

"Usagi-san!"

"Oh…well…w-we were just, um, talking about y—" his sentenced was silenced by a harsh jab from his partner.

"We were just talking about how glad we are you're here today. There's a lot of work left over from the recent Anbu missions."

"Anbu?"

"Yeah, but Itachi sent most of it to Rei-san so…" the man was thoroughly jabbed again.

"What he means is that, we're lucky there are plenty of people here tending to the workload. We appreciate everything you're doing for us."

"Yeah…sure."

There was just something odd about the men recently. Sneaking around, whispering, occasional glances at her when no one thought she was looking—they were becoming a normal routine in her life. The two before her were no exception, and she sighed before her head fell in defeat. It wasn't in right mind to stir up trouble in a professional environment.

The men exchanged quick glances before one nodded over to the entrance of the building.

"Well, we have to get going. You know, work and all. I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all. And I should get back to work as well, actually." She offered a nervous giggle to ease the boys' tension. They took the bait before waving goodbye.

"Take care, Usagi-san."

She ignored their hasty exit as their conversation replayed in her head. Itachi had begun his Anbu missions; it was the reason why she had seen so little of him. But it was something he never mentioned to her. That matter unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

"Is something wrong?"

Catching wind of her disappearance, Tekka approached the girl only after the conversation had ended. But Usagi simply shook her head at his worried looks.

"No, I'm fine. I was just…thinking that's all."

"Well there's a first time for everything," he smirked before walking off again.

Usagi sighed and rolled her eyes before a soft smile reappeared on her face. She was determined to put the conversation behind. Itachi was busy. It wasn't as if she had to know every detail of his life. He could do other things, and she had duties of her own to fulfill. But a hello or note every once in a while would have been nice. The last few weeks had been filled with mostly team duties and work at headquarters. There was little time for her to catch up with Itachi as he was always going in and out of the building in haste. She shrugged it off at first as nothing too important. He did manage some pleasantries every so often. But as the days dragged on, those exchanges became quick hellos, and she sighed in defeat as she realized the constant stress factors that put a strain on their friendship were always finding ways to keep them apart. Itachi now had other priorities, and a new person to occupy his leisure time as well.

She lazily tossed the letters into the slots until she sighed once again in a direction far off from her. Silent pleas and wishes escaped her lips as she stared at a newly painted door. The drawing she made for him awhile back was no longer taped to it. There was no surprise as to who detached said item. Before she gave up again on the fruitless wish, her ears caught another sound of a door opening abruptly, and she was greeted with the rare sight of Itachi leaving his office. Her heart soared from the excitement and she set the bag of letters down hastily.

"What are you doing _now_, Usagi?"

"Sorry, Tekka-san but I promise I won't take long. I just want to say a quick hel…"

A soft giggle stopped her from venturing forward. A raven haired girl emerged from his office and shut the door behind her. Usagi frowned at her laughs and even more so at Itachi's smirk. Itachi began exiting the building with his new partner in tow. Usagi's leg made a small movement as she contemplated greeting him nonetheless. But the girl turned back and offered a secret smile before clutching onto his arm and disappearing altogether with him.

She abandoned the notion of following them.

"Usagi?"

"Are they going off on a mission?"

Tekka raised an eyebrow as his eyes sought out the correct direction of her gaze. "Rei-san and Itachi? Well, I heard Itachi is making some preparations for an upcoming mission. And it's about that time Rei-san returned to the Naka shrine for her daily routine."

"So they have been hanging out a lot, huh?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that."

She nervously giggled. "Oh no! Nothing at all. I…um…I have to finish sorting these." She rushed back to her job, but the upbeat motions from earlier were now deprived of their bounce and enthusiasm. Even the singing had ceased to be. As she contemplated on the notion more, the moves became rather slow and languid until the speed of her job execution slowed to a crawl.

Tekka watch carefully as she slowed down. He was not used to this side of her. She was always perky and energetic. His own beat fell in time with hers, and he silently communicated to her that she continue on singing that ridiculously peculiar tune from earlier, if nothing else, as a means of distraction from the somber girl's current contemplations.

He sighed once more before setting his bag down. "Itachi isn't like that. I'm sure you know him better than that."

"W-what do you mean?"

"He wouldn't engage in any illicit behavior to hurt you."

Her grip on the letters tightened and she picked up the sorting pace consequently. "Illicit? A-affair? W-what, w-hat are you talking about? I-I don't know what…I mean I was just…"

"Usagi."

She sighed loudly before continuing her job. "Itachi has been pretty busy these last few weeks, huh?"

He decided to offer an answer to her unspoken question. "His Anbu missions have started up again. He's scheduled for another lengthy mission here shortly. It's why he has been going in and out. Surely you knew that." But when Usagi kept her back to him he frowned. "Didn't you?"

"We've only talked a handful of times the last few weeks. Our meetings haven't lasted more than a few minutes at most. I guess he is a busy boy after all. Especially with…"

"It's nothing more than business. Don't listen to the others. And Rei-san is just teasing you with her antics to excite you. Itachi isn't engaging in any type of affair with her."

She smiled sadly. Her feelings weren't quite what Tekka was envisioning. If only he knew the truth. But she supposed that the details of their relationship were no longer relevant to anyone anymore. "Yeah, I know. But that's not the problem. I was just…I just miss hanging out with him. But I guess that's selfish of me, huh? I mean, he has other people in his life, right? Surely they are just as important."

"You're important to him too."

"His family is more important though. I guess captain was right about everything. Itachi would choose the clan right? But, I guess that's the right thing to do. Do you think that maybe…this just isn't going to work out for us in the end?"

Tekka opened his mouth and closed it abruptly as he realized he had no words to offer.

The conversation from Fugaku several weeks ago replayed in her head and she smiled to smooth out the wrinkles of her own self depreciation away. "And she is better than me anyway. Don't you think? I mean she's smart, funny, sophisticated, responsible and confident. She's perfect. I could never hope to be anything like that. She's a much better partner…a much more useful friend even."

His gaze fell away to the bag before him after sneaking one last peek at the crestfallen girl before him. But it was quite possible that she had a point. Even if nothing came of Itachi and Rei's meetings, it didn't necessarily spell out a smooth sail for her recovery with him.

The inevitability of their fate seemed imminent.

"Just focus on your work for now. I'm sure the two of you will find time after his missions have let up."

"Yeah, good point. And the last thing he needs is my whining and complaining to accompany his stress, right?"

"That's right."

She followed through with her tasks without a hitch. Five entire minutes passed by without a stir from the girl. The only sound he heard from her was the shuffling of letters, and he sighed at what he knew currently plagued her mind. Half regretting what he was about to do, Tekka chose his next words carefully.

"Thunder."

"Hmm?" She tilted her head inquisitively towards her partner.

"Thunder also rhymes with wonder."

"Oh yeah…" she looked back at the lettered boxes. "So it does…"

He snuck a glance at the girl as a familiar motion of her head became clearer as the minute dragged on. Usagi's energy picked up as she slid more letters into their appropriate boxes. He heard sounds of tapping on the newly waxed floor as her feet rose and fell in beat. Her head was next in line to keep up with the soft words that escaped her lips.

Tekka smiled slightly as the humming picked up and the girl was back to reciting several lines of lyrics to the epic battle of which she was about to partake.

* * *

It wasn't the chattering of cardinals that attributed to her foul mood. A swing of her broom on the nearby tree had the feathered creatures scurry away in fear. It wasn't the newly knocked down statuette lying in front of the garden entrance. A simple rearrangement and quick cleaning took care of that mess. And it most certainly wasn't the scattered foot prints all over her flower beds, or the trounced herbs, or the obnoxiously loud blonde that insisted on swinging upside down by the branches of her favorite plum trees. It most certainly was not any of those things. She could easily let the distractions slide. But ignoring this issue was out of the question as her eyebrow continued to twitch of its own volition. After not being able to take the annoying voice of the boy anymore, she stomped over to the tree with a heavy bamboo broom in hand. She wound up her pitch and struck the tree once more in a quick movement. Only this time, instead of scattering birds, a young blonde boy fell onto a nearby rose bush with a large thud.

"Oww oww oww," he scurried out of the brush and danced from toe to toe to express the pain the thorny patch had dealt on his young fragile body.

"Next time, focus more on your mission instead of fooling around, you little brat!"

"Eh heh, well, I just thought that this place was kind of cool and I could play a little bit." His laughter grew into uneasy whimpers as the woman's feet tapped furiously on the stone pavement. "I'll , um, get back to work."

She narrowed her eyes. "Indeed." Her eyes slid sideways sharply as a nervous instructor approached her.

"I do apologize for his rude behavior. But Naruto can be quite a handful sometimes."

"Hatake Kakashi, I would expect such reckless misconduct from teams with less skilled captains. But not from you. Your reputation is impeccable and you come with high recommendations; therefore I expect nothing but the best from your team. With that said, it goes without saying, that I expect you to keep this boy in line or the report you get from me in regards to your current assignment will not be a pleasant one. Am I understood?"

Kakashi sighed. Either way he thought about it, he was going to get a lecture again. "Ah, understood."

"See to it that you quickly make amends to this situation. That boy needs far more training and discipline."

"Understood."

"Good." She sighed to calm her nerves after walking away to tend to the entrance ways. One more scan of the gardens and she saw with great relief that Kakashi's orders hit their mark as the boy returned, albeit reluctantly, to do his part in weed pulling. She was about to retreat once more until a distant conversation piqued her interest. And to her other end was an escalating situation that had her narrow her eyes considerably.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm not quite sure how to do this properly."

"Here, hang on." Sasuke set aside his utensils momentarily to tend to the girl's request. "You first have to make sure the branches are defined. Once that's done, you work on the greenery and just clip around like this."

Sakura blushed visibly when Sasuke's hands covered her own to guide her around the small tree.

"These are juniper bonsai trees so the foliage is quite prickly. You'll have to be careful not to cut yourself."

"Sasuke-kun, you know a lot about these trees, huh? You're so good at it. But of course there's nothing you're not good at, right?" She leaned purposely more into his body.

Sasuke, in turn, blushed at the proximity. He quickly hid the predicament with a disinterested look as he disengaged her. "My mother has some in our little garden. I learned from her."

"Hey I wonder if she minds showing me a thing or two."

It was the perfect moment to make his segue. Ever since his conversation with his brother, he made it an effort to prove a point to him. Itachi may have been a liar and a coward in regards to his own feelings, but not he. This time he would be the one to surpass Itachi. He would show him his own courage. It was the one thing of which he would not lose to Itachi. And so with a deep swallow, he nervously opened his mouth.

"Actually you can…"

"Hmm?" She continued to prune under his guidance as he looked away from her gaze.

"Well…I mean…I was wondering…well…if you're not busy or something, you could…"

"Yes?" her eyes lit up in hope to the upcoming question. And she nervously bit her lip hoping this wasn't a ruse; this wasn't a misunderstanding. That there was more to this than a simple help of pruning his mother's bonsai collection.

"What I mean to say is that…well…" he swallowed again before continuing. "Do you want to…"

"Oww.."

His eyes widened as soon as the broom came into view. They widened further when its handle was jabbed onto Sakura's forehead.

Sakura rubbed away the pain on her head. She was furious, livid, absolutely enraged. Here was the ever stoic Uchiha Sasuke about to make a proposition, and an intruder had to ruin the moment. She quickly huffed and turned around, ready to lash out at her newest victim. But she coward the moment dark eyes glared at her. "O-oh, hi Rei-san," the girl laughed nervously as she caught herself just in time before a verbal lash out was imminent. "Um, is there a problem?"

Rei glanced around the environment. Naruto was taking care of the west end and Kakashi the south. She frowned realizing why it was the girl decided to stick in the eastern section. "You know, the north end still has an entire area left of weeds."

Sakura's fingers playfully poked each other. "Yeah well, I thought that if I stuck around here, I could help Sasuke-kun finish quicker and then the two of us could…" She didn't get to finish as her body was now being dragged to the other side of the garden.

She shot Sasuke an apologetic look as he returned her exchange with pure confusion.

Rei concealed her lips near the young girl's ears. "Less flirting and more work will get the job done faster. I also suggest you focus more on your ninja training and less on boys if you intend to have a successful career as a kunoichi." Rei lowered her voice considerably to these next words. "And if you're smart, you'll give up on this useless crush you have."

"U-uh what do you mean?"

The nervous look reminded her of another nuisance she had the displeasure of meeting. It tested her patience even more. "You know very well what I mean. That boy is off limits. Honestly, why does every common girl think they can even hope to land an Uchiha?"

Eyes narrowed at the insinuation and insult. "For your information, Sasuke-kun was just about to ask _me_ out before you came along!"

"Oh, please. Spare me the illusion."

"It's true!"

The girl's words were not without merit. She knew very well what could have resulted had her broom not interfered with the conversation. She had seen Sasuke's looks and attitude toward the girl. And it was that tiny little fact that had her inwardly livid. It was an endless cycle.

Rei stopped immediately to look back at the girl who boldly held her gaze. Sakura's feeble attempts at intimidation were nothing, and she made no effort to stir the emotions as she prepared to walk away. But as the glare persisted, so did the image in the backdrop. It was no longer Sakura glaring at her defiantly but a headstrong blonde with blue eyes. And as she glanced back at Sasuke who continued casually with his assignment, it was now Itachi dismissing her away. Why was it that history repeated itself constantly? Whatever the case, it would go nowhere for them. She smiled as she pondered back to how things have progressed for her situation, and she walked away in certainty that Sasuke would also follow his brother's lead.

"Let go of this illusion girl. It will lead you nowhere."

Sakura rubbed her wrist and stuck out her tongue just as the raven-haired woman left her side hastily. "What the hell is her problem?"

Rei stood stoically in the middle of the group as they continued about her garden, directing everyone to the tasks at hand.

"Kakashi, I want the tulips over there by the fountain. Sakura, make sure you water the rose bush on the end. And Naruto, be _careful_ with that crate!"

Naruto growled as he juggled the giant box. "Naruto, quit jumping around. Naruto quit yelling so much. Naruto stop looking at the birds. Naruto take this over there. Naruto carry this heavy box inside. Stupid woman. If she would just get laid more often she wouldn't be such a bitch."

"I heard that, you little brat!"

"Well I said it pretty lou—"

Kakashi's kick on his rear end was enough to shut the boy up.

"Naruto, enough. Let's get these boxes inside."

"Fine, whatever."

With a scowl, Rei ignored the two shinobi as she continued to sweep the entrance of the shrine. Her sweeping eventually landed her to an area where Sasuke was delicately trimming the small bonsai trees.

"Honestly, I have no idea how you tolerate any of this."

Sasuke smirked invisibly before continuing on his duty. "You get used to it."

"This kind of behavior shouldn't be tolerated. I'll make note of that in my report."

"Hmm."

Rei sighed as she watched the boy move onto the next tree in complete silence. "Honestly, you're just like your brother sometimes," was the mumble that escaped her mouth. After a final sweep of the area, she collapsed onto the stone stairs and settled for his back as company. "You know; if you want, I can pull some strings and have you transferred to a more suitable team."

Sasuke's last clip of a twig abruptly stopped. He was pensive momentarily before his hands began to spruce up the loose piece. "I'm fine. It's not a big deal."

"Yes, I suppose. In any case, with what I've heard of your progress, it won't be a problem for long."

His back was no longer her company. "What do you mean?"

"Well from what I heard, your progress as a shinobi is excellent. You are advancing quite rapidly, Sasuke. And if you make it to chuunin in the upcoming exams, it is quite possible that you will be following in your brother's footsteps fairly soon. Which means more opportunities for you to push forward. You might even be able to make it into Anbu within a few years. What do you say about that?"

He caressed the branches tenderly as he thought about the declaration with a smile. For so long now he wanted recognition for his accomplishments, to be told that he was just as good as his brother. And knowing that the village was considering his promotion and that all that was left was to put in his part to move on, caused a smile to form on his features. The sweet moment, however, was broken when a loud blonde continued to moan and groan about his tasks.

"That boy, such a nuisance. And so pathetic; I really doubt he'll make it far, but I guess only time will tell." She frowned when the boy kicked a stone onto the branch only to have it bounce right back to his head. "Much time, in fact. And as for the girl…" Her face fell when the girl continued to steal back glances between her and Sasuke. "I doubt she'll make it far either. They'll probably stick with Kakashi's team for a long time. But that's to be expected. Most teams do manage to stay together most of their life. But you Sasuke, you're special. You'll far exceed them. And when you do, you'll find yourself in a much more desirable position."

She spoke so lowly of his team. And while he did feel that he surpassed them in many ways, he wasn't entirely convinced they were a completely pathetic team. But her reasoning of their capabilities was to be expected for she had the same mindset as most members of her clan, a sense of superiority. And it wasn't so long ago when his way of thinking was much like hers. Sakura was the annoying girl constantly trying to vie for his attention whose uselessness ran to the core while Naruto was the loudmouth whose words were greater than his skill level and power and whose intelligence could be linked to a common rock. To him, he was the prodigy-in-making caged in with the babbling monkeys. But the more his time with them expanded and the more dangers they faced together, the more his view point changed entirely. He recognized his own shortcomings in the process and what exactly the other two had to offer him. Had it not been for Naruto's stamina, he never would have lasted long against the rogue ninja that attacked in their recent mission. And had it not been for Sakura's expertise and knowledge of their capabilities, the two would have been left for dead long before the battle grew serious. And with Kakashi as their team, there was nothing they couldn't do really. It was at those briefest moments of life and death he realized why it was they were all grouped together. Each member had their imperfections but as a team, they were unstoppable. As a team, they were perfect. But it was the last few statements that left his mind blank as he realized an unexpected possibility.

"I take it the sooner you leave the group, the happier you'll be. Am I correct? Don't worry; I'll see what strings I can pull for you. After all, we're kin."

"Do you think I really will leave the team someday?"

"Of course. We're Uchiha. We're above all this, Sasuke. We're destined for great things, as are you. Just look at your brother. Captain of Anbu. Someday, that may very well be your title. Then you can dump the deadweight you're burdened with right now and fulfill your rightful place as an Uchiha heir."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Honestly Sasuke. Do you really think those two will ever become as great as you? I mean just think about where you are now and compare it to them. Can you even fill the gap?"

"But, they could get stronger…"

"…than you? Please. True, ninja grow stronger over time but lineage is what separates the common from the elite. No matter how hard they work, they just can't compete with genius. They'll go off and accomplish things of their own, surely they will. But you, you'll achieve many things—_great_ things. You're in a league they couldn't hope to compete in Sasuke. A world they couldn't hope to acquire despite their best efforts."

A loud groaning noise interrupted the conversation once more. Sasuke watched as Sakura bonked Naruto on the head for sneaking up on her. Their antics and Kakashi's attempts to calm his teammate from a temper tantrum seemed so distant now. It was quite possible that Rei was correct. He would surpass them and eventually, he would have to leave them…for good. And if so, what did that mean for their team, for their friendship?

"And of course, just like your brother, you're to follow the same path we all took. Which means the inevitable continuation of your legacy."

"Legacy? What do you mean?"

"I mean your future children, of course. You'll marry an Uchiha of well breeding and fulfill your destiny as the second child of our patriarch."

"An Uchiha…" he whispered. Was this really the fate that had befallen him? He turned once more to his arguing teammates as Sakura's back faced Naruto's apologetic smiles. She crossed her arms and furiously avoided his gaze.

"Aww come on, Sakura-chan. Don't be that way with me. I'll make it up to you! I'll take you out on a date."

"Forget it, Naruto!"

Rei sighed as she rested her head on her hands. "Just look at those two. Oh well, I suppose in some ways they're quite suited for each other. Don't you think?"

He narrowed his eyes at the statement.

"You know, in an ironic way, they're kind of perfect for each other. I mean just look at the way they interact. There's definitely a bond there. And she sure is pretty open and brash around him. They say when a woman is comfortable with the man she loves, she's not afraid to show her real side."

Perhaps there was some truth to it. But Sakura wasn't like that with him at all. She never acted that way around him. She was always shy, careful, considerate, gentle and soft whenever he was around. With Naruto, she was loud, angry, boisterous, tactless, and rude. He wondered which was the real her? Was the end he received nothing more than a mirage, a compilation of emotions based off of some childhood crush? Was the way she was with Naruto the real Sakura? Why was it that she felt she could fool around and make jokes with Naruto but not with him?

"Hey, watch how you trim those plants, Sasuke."

He loosened his grip on the tool and returned to his slow cutting as he thought about the predicament at hand. Perhaps this was better. Perhaps Naruto was better off for her. Sakura was always honest with him; she loved to share every unique interest she had. He never once returned the favor. Maybe, in the end, it just wasn't in his personality to be open and honest. And if so, it wouldn't be deserving of her kindness to be stuck with a brooding man like him. Naruto was patient with her temper, eager to please and quick to lend an open ear and mouth to her passions. That certainly seemed more of the type of guy an open girl like Sakura deserved. Rei's words may have held merit, for the two did seem like such a perfect match.

He was ready to resign, but when he glanced back and watched Naruto crack jokes at Sakura, the girl laugh and push him away playfully and the two pal around each other, the grip was back and he mercilessly continued to slash away at the plants.

"Slow down, Sasuke! You're going to chop everything into pieces!"

He slowed down again albeit with a controlled fury. Despite his best efforts, there was just no way to suppress the jealousy that engulfed him as he pondered more on the possibilities in the growth of their relationship. His eyes narrowed again as he caught a glimpse of Naruto whispering something which made Sakura laugh. Their proximity was enough to force him to clench his teeth. He angrily grabbed the shears as more thoughts entered his mind about the pair. One push could become one hug. One hug in turn could become one kiss. And it wouldn't be long before the two would engage in more intimate acts as their years carried on to adulthood.

"Will you _stop_ already!?" Rei yanked the weapon away from the frustrated boy. She raised her eyebrow when the boy's sharingan eyes were vacant and distant, his breathing uneven and his cheeks a tint of red. "O…kay, that's enough cutting for you. Why don't you finish off by sweeping inside the—"

A loud crash caused her to flinch and her dark eyes immediately zoomed in at the wide-eyed boy who was pointing a finger at the ravens looming above the roof.

"I didn't break anything! It was Phobos and Deimos! I swear!"

"_What_?" She stared at him perplexed until Kakashi once again broke the tension.

"Naruto has a habit of naming the animals he comes across. It's a habit he picked up from a friend."

Between Sasuke's erratic behavior, Sakura's incessant need to tiptoe her way back to Sasuke's side, Naruto's continuous failed efforts of work and Kakashi's casual dismissal of it all, Rei was beyond the threshold of showing them exactly what an advanced fire jutsu was.

Kakashi seemed to have caught wind of the upcoming explosion, for he immediately rushed to Naruto with a package in hand.

"Naruto, we have a delivery to make to police headquarters. Why don't you take this satchel and give it to the authorities there?"

"Sure. Anything beats this shitty—" Rei's glare immediately stopped his words. "I mean, I'd love to help." He was sure the sarcasm was well delivered.

After swiping the bag, he made a quick dash down the steps, eager to put the shrine duties behind him. As he descended down the stairs, he lifted his hand to offer an obscene gesture before a rock was shoved his way and made contact with his head. He clumsily fell down the long stone staircase as a result of the impact.

His team watched with mild sympathy with each contact his body made on each stone step. After the final thud, they continued on with the duties at hand. Once the tumbling ceased, he rubbed the back of his head softly. "Stupid bitch." When his body recovered from the fall, he stuck his tongue out once more. "I hope the ravens shit on her head."

The caws and wing fluttering of two ravens at the perching on the torii, however, caused him to gulp in fear, and he immediately sprung to his feet and departed the shrine. When he was completely out of the vicinity, he turned his run into a leisure stroll. There was no sense in speeding up the delivery. The longer he took, the less yard work he had to do. If he was lucky enough, the rest of the group would have the job completed by the time he returned.

"Dad, can I have two scoops?"

"Ask your mother."

Naruto immediately stopped in front of a shop and watched as a small family passed through the door. The ringing sound of a bell alerted the hostess to more guests, and he was greeted with the faint scent of chocolate chip mint right before the doors closed. He ran to the shop and smashed his face on the window as he watched the delicious scoops of ice cream being placed in a wafer bowl for the young girl he saw earlier. A trail of drool began to stain the glass, and he subconsciously allowed his tongue to fall loosely. "Why couldn't we be eating here instead of doing all those crappy assignments?"

"Yeah, no kidding."

Naruto's tongue darted back to his mouth and he immediately turned around in surprise, ready to apologize to the proprietors of the establishment. His hasty apology, however, was left in suspension as he relaxed upon coming into contact with another blonde whose own drool stains rivaled his.

"Usagi-nee chan! What are you doing here?"

"The same thing as you. Contemplating on a quick detour."

"Ha, yeah. Chocolate chip mint is the best. What about you? Which would you pick?"

Usagi lapped up her tongue and left it playfully out to accompany her response. "Why choose? I want it all."

"You can't eat that much ice cream."

"Ha! Challenge accepted. I'll have you know that I currently hold the village record for most ice cream scoops eaten in ten minutes. Even Mitarashi Anko doesn't stand a chance against my sweet tooth!" She threw her head back and boastfully laughed into the afternoon sky.

"Nee-chan, you scare me sometimes."

She flicked his forehead playfully and waited for his recovery.

"So what are you really doing here, Naruto? I thought you were on a mission right now."

"I am. I have a delivery."

"Well then, you should get to it."

"I'm not in any hurry."

"Naruto, you're going to get in trouble again. Kakashi-sensei doesn't like tardiness."

"That's stupid considering he's always late to our meetings. Come to think of it, you're not exactly the most punctual person either, nee-chan."

She stepped back from the low blow. He had her there. "Yeah, well…that's why you should learn from example. The more you are on time, the less likely you are to stir trouble."

"It doesn't matter what I do. They'll always find a way to hate me."

"Naruto…"

"So that's why I'm just going to take my time in getting back."

"But your mission, Naruto…"

"Weed pulling isn't a mission! They just use us as an excuse to get all the crappy jobs done!"

It was another good point. Something she could verify herself from working with the Uchiha Police. "But it has to be done, Naruto. And if you wait too long, it wouldn't be fair to your team now, would it?"

His lips made a distinctive move to the right as he crossed his arms before his chest. "Yeah, whatever."

She smiled at his upcoming surrender. "Good, then why don't you hurry up with your delivery?"

"I still don't see why we have to do all that boring work. Especially for that bitch."

"Naruto," she scolded. "What did I tell you about calling people that?"

"But Rei-san _is_ a bitch!"

"Rei? You wouldn't, by any chance, be referring to Uchiha Rei, would you?"

He nodded and huffed.

"Oh, well. In that case I kind of have to agree with you."

Naruto began to chuckle but was rewarded with a bonk on the head regardless.

"Behave yourself Naruto. And try not to give Kakashi-sensei any kind of trouble. Don't forget that your bad performance reflects the entire team and they'll be punished equally. You don't want to make your teammates angry at you, do you?"

"No, I guess not."

"Good. So where are you headed off to?"

"I'm delivering this satchel to the Uchiha police. To be honest, I think Kakashi-sensei was just trying to get rid of me."

"Don't say that."

"It's true! Sasuke wasn't even as busy as I was. Why didn't he ask _him_ to do it?!" Naruto sighed loudly before resting on a nearby brick bed. "Sometimes, I get the feeling he likes to play favorites. I think Kakashi-sensei prefers Sasuke-teme over me."

He grew curious when instead of a condescending hug or pat on the head, he received soft chuckles as the girl settled peacefully beside him.

"I know exactly how you're feeling."

"No you don't. Haruka-sensei pays more attention to you than anyone in the group."

"Well, she didn't always."

"Really?"

"Yes. She does it now because I've come a long way and the elders have seen my potential. But did you know that when I first started with my team, Haruka-sensei only ever paid attention to Seijuuro? And I thought 'wow, someone's playing favourites'."

"She did?"

"Yeah. I worked so hard to get her attention. And then I learned that the council was putting pressure on Haruka-sensei to get Seijuuro prepped up for the chuunin exams. In the end, I was pretty much left on my own to train."

"I don't get it. Why would they focus so much on one person?"

"Seijuuro is the grandson of the land of fire's daimyo. Naturally, there's pressure for him to succeed. It's all politics really. If the grandson of an elite in the land of fire doesn't succeed, it wouldn't look good for Konoha. It wouldn't look good for the rest of our ninjas and in the end, our missions would suffer because no one will want to hire us. I mean, who would want to hire a bunch of ninjas from a village where the elite's grandson couldn't make the cut? Kakashi-sensei is probably going through a similar situation with your team. But you're lucky, though. He's giving your whole team a lot more time as a unit than I've seen with mine."

"Yeah, I guess. But it's still not fair."

"Politics never are fair. But did you ever stop to think about how frustrated Kakashi-sensei is with it as well? And I bet your antics don't help at all."

"I never thought about that."

"Also, how do you think your other teammate feels?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the absurdity. "Teme's probably living it up. He's getting training from his family _and_ Kakashi-sensei."

"I was talking about Sakura. Don't you think she feels a little left out? And her parents aren't ninja, so it's not like they're very proficient in the field. Not enough to help her the way she probably needs it anyway."

It was true. He was receiving help from Usagi and her friends and at times he would train with Sasuke or visit the dojo. But what Sakura did in her free time to train was really a mystery to him.

"You know, if you really want to get stronger, why don't you have more sparring matches with your team. I mean, I know you battle Sasuke a lot, but maybe you can invite Sakura for training once in a while too."

"Me…Sakura-chan…training?" Naruto's goofy grin grew wide as he fantasized about what he would rather do alone with the girl given the opportunity.

"Get those perverted thoughts out of your head, you goofball. I meant why don't the three of you have an all-out training fest? You could all benefit from each other. Your stamina could wear Sasuke out. You could learn from Sasuke's jutsu knowledge and the both of you could take some tactician lessons from Sakura. She is the smartest in your team after all."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's true. I guess we could do that."

"Good. Feeling better then?"

"Yeah, but speaking of special training…"

Usagi's eyebrows rose as the boy's elbows began to jab at her stomach and his own eyebrows rose suggestively.

"Nee-chan, you haven't been completely honest with me about your own relationships."

Usagi blushed immediately. "I…uh…don't know what you mean."

"You know. About a certain Uchiha male and how you were caught spending the entire night with him. Hee hee. Getting extra 'training' and then getting extra something on the side. You little devil, you. Nee-chan, after all this time, I never knew you had it in you."

Usagi's mouth dropped considerably.

"So I take it it's true , then?"

"No, it isn't! I have not been doing indecent things with that guy!"

"Did he come over to your house?"

"Yes…"

"Did he spend the night?"

"Yes…"

"Did he sleep on your bed?"

"Yes, but I wasn't on it!"

"That's because you were probably on something else at the moment."

"Naruto! Shut up! It was absolutely nothing."

"Sure…right, nee-chan."

"It wasn't, you brat!"

"They say denial is the clincher."

She huffed and turned her head away abruptly. "Believe what you want."

"Oh trust me. I'll believe it."

Usagi sighed before her eyelids fell in annoyance. "Don't you have a mission you need to do or something?"

"Hey good job, nee-chan! You've skipped three stages and went right for acceptance."

"_Now_, Naruto."

"Ha ha. Alright then. But don't think you're off the hook yet. I still want to know more about this. Over ramen!"

Usagi shook her head and smiled softly. "Fine."

"And ice cream!"

"All right, you."

"Your treat?"

"Only if I hear from Kakashi-sensei that you've been on good behavior. Now get out of here."

He smiled widely before waving his farewell. "It's a promise then. Don't forget! You're paying."

She sighed at the unspoken promise. It was going to be a hassle for her, and mostly her wallet but she supposed if Naruto needed an incentive to score better points for his team, then it was well worth the investment. Usagi smiled as she watched herself in the boy, an enthusiasm and playful streak that landed her in trouble at times.

When he disappeared completely out of sight, she continued her trek to a remote area in the Uchiha district. Tekka had sent her on a simple delivery mission but the area was becoming much more isolated from the rest of the district. As she traveled further in, the bustling and dynamic atmosphere slowly began to dissipate. There were no people gathered around in the streets yelling at each other to hurry on with their tasks. There were no birds chirping on nearby fixtures. Even the trees were beginning to look scarcely placed. All sounds were suspended save a few scratchy noises and some barely felt vibrations. Her mouth went dry and heart beat picked up a fraction of a second.

She was being followed.

"I know you're out there! Come out!"

The shadow emerged from the alleyway slowly until it stopped a few meters away from her. "An Uchiha?" But Usagi had no time to rejoice in the presence of the new female acquaintance. For just as her clan's bloodline, the girl's aura escalated into unbearable heat. The presence was far from amicable and Usagi's guard rose immediately.

"Your name is Tsukino Usagi, isn't it?"

"Yes. But it's only proper that a stranger introduces first before demanding introductions."

The girl's eyes narrowed. "Don't sound so haughty."

"It's just proper manners."

"Are you suggesting that a high class woman such as myself lacks etiquette?"

"Not at all! I was just…you know what? Never mind, I'll overlook it. I'm in a hurry anyway so…"

"Are you the girl that's been having an affair with Itachi-sama?"

"I'm sorry, but I am scheduled to return back to headquarters promptly. I still have many tasks to complete. If you wouldn't mind, I would prefer to finish this conversation at another time." And in a more public destination, she didn't add.

"Just answer the question, you little brat!"

"Itachi and I are friends. You've been misinformed about the situation. Again, I have to…" Usagi's neutral body language was immediately replaced by a scowl as soon as the girl's eyes traveled from her feet up to her hair and back down to lock gazes with her. The blank look, the click of her tongue and the purse of her lips alerted her to the girl's lack of approval.

"He can do way better than you, I'm sure."

"Excuse me?"

"Either that or you must have been an easy lay."

She closed her eyes to count down and remain calm. The girl was simply provoking a fight.

"How could Itachi-sama stoop so low as to settle for some low class brat all for just one night of pleasure? I expected so much more from him."

"Class isn't everything."

"No, just most."

She tightened her jaw to remain civil. "Well that's a matter of opinion."

"It's a matter of fact. How many bad pedigree orphans do you see hitting it big? Becoming Hokage? Achieving remarkable things? Hell, I'm surprised you made it to chuunin."

"Moving up in rank is proportionate to skill level, not lineage."

"Yes, but rank is all you're going to get. There's many losers that make it to jounin, but that's it. Their rank is their ceiling. There's nothing left for them after that. And they live out their whole lives doing trivial missions or living ordinary lives until they die. And afterwards, we forget them. It's as if they never existed. It's quite pathetic really."

"Everyone has their place in society. Some people cook and clean and others do missions. All tasks are equally important." She mentally took pride at being able to reuse Itachi's own wisdom in a conversation.

"Yes, because we see so many bakers with statues erected of them."

"Your ignorance is showing because you forget that there are people within your own clan that do those 'trivial' things, as you like to call them." She smiled to claim one victory point when the girl scowled at her lost argument.

"Oh what, you think you're better than me? That you have some endless wisdom you like to share?"

"Look, I'm sorry if you feel insulted. But I was just pointing out that…"

"You'll never be good enough."

"What?"

"As a wife. You'll never be good enough. I heard about you and quite frankly, there's not much to tell. You think that a girl like you could measure up as Itachi-sama's wife? You probably wouldn't make the cut for any man. Why would any man want a woman that doesn't even have a family to offer him?"

The words reflected things she heard before from Itachi's own father. Although Itachi's words didn't squelch her anxiety completely, they were enough to rekindle her spirit.

"You say all these things and yet you know nothing about me. Who I am. If I'm so hopeless, if I'm worth nothing, if I'm just some pathetic girl then why is it that I have achieved so much thus far."

"What do you mean?"

"I have no family, no connections as you do. Yet I was accepted as a Konoha kunoichi, achieved chuunin rank, am currently working in the Uchiha police headquarters and have even earned the recognition of Itachi, an Anbu captain. Can you say that you have achieved these things with all your glorious pride in your lineage?"

Although she was not one of intentional malice, Usagi couldn't stop the subtle smirk upon seeing the girl's loathing face. When there was no reaction she turned away for a steady retreat.

"You probably had your own way of accomplishing that. The rest of us actually work hard to achieve our goals. We don't sleep with the captain just to make it to the top."

Usagi's feet firmly ingrained themselves on the stone path.

"But I suppose like mother like daughter."

She clenched her fists. "My mother is not alive to defend herself. I suggest you stop."

"Your mother was a business woman, a foreigner who had a fleeting affair with a merchant. It was quite obvious what she wanted from your fa—"

The girl's lingering words were now accompanied with the crackling sound of her body colliding with the cement wall. She wiped away a stray trail of blood from her face as her glare met with that of a kunoichi, hands glowing a vivid blue.

"I'll say this once more. My parents are not alive to defend themselves. Please show some respect and keep your comments to yourself. I don't want to fight you."

"Then that'll make it easier for me to beat you into a bloody…" but the sounds of footsteps sliding along the path alerted her to a possible threat as she realized that her opponent was no longer standing idly but arranging her feet to take on a more offensive position.

"I said I don't want to fight. I never said I wouldn't."

She smirked in response, waiting patiently for any openings. And when the blonde's leg twitched for the briefest fraction of a moment, she dove right for her.

Usagi dodged the first punch easily. She ran through the maze of houses as the girl began her pursuit.

"You can't run forever!"

Usagi smiled subtly as she glanced back. Within the blink of an eye, the environment before her became a blur as she picked up speed. Kunai were sent flying her way and she dodged left and right in a continuous pattern.

"What the hell?" The girl blinked once as she saw the briefest flicker of motion running side by side. In one second there was one blonde, and then there were two and three. "A clone? That's so academy!" She flung the projectiles at every single one, but there was no smoke clearing the jutsu. She threw more and more to no avail. "What the hell is going on? Why can't I hit the clones?"

Usagi smirked before disappearing altogether.

The girl turned abruptly as Usagi reappeared behind her suddenly and sent her flying with a kick.

Foliage fell from the trees as the girl submerged from where she was defeated.

"This is my warning. Please do not interfere with me or my life. I mean no harm to this clan nor to you. But I won't hesitate to defend myself. Remember that."

Thinking that the girl had accepted her defeat, Usagi tried again to retreat.

"I see now what you did."

She sighed at the inevitable continuation of the battle.

"You increased your speed and kept running side by side to create the illusion of clones. That's why my kunai couldn't hit you."

"Yes."

"Why that?"

"Because it frustrates people when they realize they can't dissipate my fake clones. I knew it would throw you off."

Much to Usagi's surprise, the girl bore a mischievous smile before standing up.

"I won't be falling for this again."

Her eyes closed before opening again and Usagi's stance became readied once again as the severity escalated even further.

"Let's see how well you do against my sharingan."

The girl tried the initial same moves as before but growled when Usagi was once again evasive. Her eyes darted in every direction, analyzing the pattern of her movement. Unlike before, she could clearly see every step her opponent was making. The cloak of speed had been lifted.

"Let's see you dodge _this_!" The girl's shuriken completely missed their mark. She watched in frustration as the blonde moved left then right and then circled from behind. She threw more to her left, anticipating the move patterns, but the mark was missed considerably. She narrowed her eyes. There was no mistake about her calculations. That move should have hit. Her sharingan's skills were accurate as were her analytical abilities.

She tried again, watching the girl move in her now crawling pace. But the brat moved away in plenty of time. She then went in for close range combat, but every kick, every punch was met with the air. The move didn't hit, but how? It couldn't have been a genjutsu; she would have known.

Her eyes watched as a languid punch came crawling towards her. She sucked in her stomach and backed away, but not before one fist landed its mark. She turned to block the second hit coming for her back but missed it again. She ducked for the third but ended up on her knees and dodging away in retaliation.

"I may not be a good taijutsu fighter, but they say that multiple hits can have just as good an effect on an opponent as one powerful one."

"How is this possible?"

"It's quite simple, Yui."

Both girls turned their attention immediately to the voice. Usagi used her left hand to block the sunlight from her eyes as she raised her head over to the third party sitting lazily atop a stack of crates.

"Misaki-sempai!"

Usagi backed away considerably as Misaki jumped onto the road beside her fallen comrade.

"You girl, you're Tsukino Usagi, correct?"

"Yes," she responded hesitantly.

"I'm Uchiha Misaki."

Usagi stood unsurely before the stern girl. She wasn't quite certain whether it was an invitation to exchange formalities and pleasantries, a request to apologize for the fight, or another warning to stay away from a certain male. But knowing the pattern of the young Uchiha women she had met in the last few weeks, she would bet on the latter.

"I've been watching you these last few weeks. Working in headquarters, that's quite an accomplishment for a woman, even more so for one outside the clan. I assume you are not oblivious to the fact that very few women work in the police force."

"Yeah, well…captain wanted me there to…"

"Believe me, we are all quite aware of the predicament."

"Oh really?" Usagi grimaced when the girl began to circle her and examine her figure.

"Not much waist. You lack refinement. And a little too flat for my taste…"

Usagi took a few steps back before clearing her throat. "I'm sorry, but I'm not into girls."

Misaki turned red before regaining her composure. "I was referring to Itachi-sama's choice in women, you dolt. It's not something of which I approve."

"Oh well, I um…can't help that."

"I'm sure you're probably used to hearing everyone telling you to stay away from Itachi-sama by now, so I'll save you the lecture."

"Good because you're right, I _am_ tired of it."

"Then why don't you just adhere to our requests?"

"Adhere? What's that? Is it like some kind of glue or something?"

"That's adhesive, you dolt."

"Oh, then it's like some kind of scar right?"

Misaki clenched her fists as her comrade tried to calm her temper down. "That's _adhesion_! Honestly, how could he have chosen someone as stupid as you?"

"Look, I'm not a genius like most Uchiha claim to be okay? I don't know what ad-beer means…"

"Adhere," chimed in Yui.

"Right, adhere. I don't know what 'adhere' means. But who cares? I'm just an ordinary girl trying to make it in the village. Why does that bother you so much?"

"Because Itachi-sama deserves much more than that. So much more."

"Because you think Itachi deserves _you,_ right?"

The two girls stepped back in mild surprise before stiffening their stances.

"And you're jealous because Itachi hangs around with me. I get it. But please, leave us alone. His friendship with me won't interfere with anything. I've told this to Rei-chan, I've told this to the captain, and they've both left me in peace, so obviously the case is settled."

But Misaki took a few steps toward the retreating girl.

"You're right; I am jealous. I don't care what kind of relationship it is. If anyone deserves his attention, it most certainly shouldn't be you. Everyone, every single one of us has known him far longer than you. We've all worked hard to try to gain his attention, Rei-sama included. We help the clan, we do our part, we meet the expectations made for us, we look out for one another and we _especially_ have done our best to please Itachi-sama. And you, what the hell have you done? Who the hell do you think you are? Prancing about him like you hold the rights to monopolize his time. We're all sick of it."

Usagi was suddenly aware of multiple chakra sources in the immediate vicinity. Her eyes scanned the roofs, the un-lightened paths between houses and the courtyard around her. They were only a handful, but she was well aware that the unconcealed contempt in their eyes would turn this battle bloody if she wasn't careful. She glared into Misaki's red eyes and stood still, treating her as she would a dangerous animal sensitive to sudden movement.

"This isn't fair."

"No one said it would be. Now, I ask you again, will you leave Itachi-sama be?"

She took a deep breath to calm her anxiety. Her eyes glanced over to an area behind Misaki before she lifted her finger to point. "I think you need to ask Itachi, himself, what he wants me to do."

Misaki's wide eyes quickly turned to the direction the blonde pointed, fearful of the aforementioned name. "I don't see him…" Her surprised sharingan turned back to the area and just as she calculated, the girl was out of sight.

"She tricked us, Misaki-sempai!"

"After her!"

Usagi's feet kicked into overdrive as she raced through the maze of houses. Two kunai flew by her and she jumped up only to jump back to the streets again. There were two hovering above her on the roofs, keeping up with her projected trail.

"Quick! Cut off her maneuverability before she does her weird wind techniques!"

Her feet skid along the stone pavement as she made a sharp turn right to dodge the makibishi spikes laid out before her. Only after a few meters, did she have to make a sharp turn left to dodge the second set.

"Katon: Housenka no jutsu!"

She dodged the onslaught of mini fireballs and the flying projectiles that never relented.

"Hey! This is close to the residential zone! You can't just throw fire around here!"

But the girls paid no mind as the onslaught continued.

Usagi moved quickly to find an escape but the girls were not giving inch. And of all the times for her clumsiness to take hold, this was not one she would have hoped for. Her footwear caught onto a raised stone on the path and she fell forward just in time for Misaki to spring upon her and pin her down with a hand behind her back.

"I take it from your little escape plan that you have no intention of leaving Itachi-sama."

"I won't let you bully me into making a decision. I'm not afraid of you or your little fanclub girl squad."

Usagi groaned out loud when her head was smashed onto the road while a knee pressed down onto a vital part of her back.

"I'll make sure you leave."

The crowd behind her cheered on for her to do something. But Misaki's smile was soon laced with a red streak when Usagi's head bumped back harshly and bashed into her mouth. She sprung loose soon after.

"Don't let her escape!" Misaki mumbled as she pressed down on her bleeding mouth.

Usagi didn't make it far before one girl grabbed a pigtail, another swiped below her ankles and two more dove in to restrain her.

"Grab her legs! Don't let her run!"

Usagi winced when the two girls held onto her separated legs tightly. She struggled viciously and managed to kick one of them away. She scrambled to her feet again immediately, but a blow to her stomach stopped her dead in her tracks. Another on her head, and she fell face down on the stone path.

"That's for marring my face, girl."

She tried wiggling up to her feet once before falling back onto the ground. In a feeble attempt at protection, she curled into a ball and protected her head as the girls continued their attacks on her.

"Let this be a lesson to you. Stay away from Itachi-sama!"

Usagi's weak glare was directed to their de facto leader. It was all she could do aside from clutching her stomach and enduring the final kick on her neck.

"Fucking brat."

"Misaki-sempai! Somebody's coming!"

"Tch. Girls, hurry up. Let's go before somebody sees us!"

She relished in their absence but found that despite her efforts, she couldn't even reach to her medical pouch for a pill. The sounds of footsteps and a clicking noise she couldn't quite put her finger on approached her within a few minutes. The feet stopped near her face and she gazed into the bright sky in time to see a face obscured by the sun's harsh light. Seconds afterwards, she fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

He made no effort to conceal his foul mood. The day was fairly hot, the tasks were tedious and grueling, his loud teammate found the incessant need to replay old folk songs, and Rei's words…her stupid words just wouldn't abandon his mind. It was for these very reasons why when he plopped down on the floor and reached for the already prepared dish of rice and fried shrimp that his brother raised an eyebrow and offered a complementary cup of tea.

"Thanks."

"Must have been quite a day."

"The usual," he shrugged off.

Itachi turned the page of his binder before briefly sparing a glance at the distraught boy before him.

"You seem upset about something."

"I'm fine."

He ignored Itachi's smirk and shake of the head. He _was_ fine. This was nothing that wouldn't pass over. A surface wound like any other needing but a quick touch up. But as the smiles of the girl in question reentered his mind with an orange clad boy smiling right beside her, the brooding returned. And after trying unsuccessfully to suppress the annoyance, he settled for letting the anger pass through his tea in the form of blown bubbles.

"You know mother hates it when you do that."

"She's not here right now."

"She'll be back soon."

"What? Are you going to announce something so petty just to get me in trouble?"

"Calm down. Such fights are beneath me. Now be honest, and tell me what's wrong."

"I already told you. Nothing is wrong."

"The greater portion of my mind which clings to logic and reasoning would beg to differ based on a few expressions on your face and overall body language."

"I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

"So be it."

He rolled his eyes knowing his brother was, once again, unconvinced that his outward grumpy display was only attributed to a long work day. Aside from matters of the opposite gender, he supposed there was nothing Itachi couldn't deduce. The man radiated brilliance. But it wasn't as if there was anyone else who he could relate to with regards to his current predicament. And so with a reluctant swallow, he carefully calculated his next move.

"Suppose I was more than tired."

Itachi raised his pen, his eyebrow soon followed.

"Suppose I had things that…"

"Worry you?"

"Preoccupy me," he amended quickly.

"And let's assume that said things would soon develop into more troubling matters. Should they be things I deal with as they come to pass or things I should try to prevent right away?"

"What kind of trouble are you in, Sasuke?"

"I'm just speaking hypothetically."

"If you are in some kind of danger…"

"It's nothing that detrimental. Just…stuff…"

Itachi smirked as he rested his head on one available hand. Sasuke grimaced at the mocking beat that damn pen was keeping as it constantly hit the surface of the table.

"Alright fine, fuck you. I'm annoyed at something."

"Much better. And what, I ask, is it that annoys you?"

"Well, answer me this first. Do you ever work with your team?"

"Of course. As captain that is my…"

"I meant your other team."

"Other team?"

"You know. The one you started out with as a genin when you graduated from the academy."

"Ah." Itachi's pen made another quick tapping noise as he pondered on the matter. "To be honest, no. After I became captain, my work was at a completely different level. To this day, I can't say that I have returned to work with that team in any other mission. But that's to be expected for my line of work."

"I see."

"Are you concerned the same fate will greet you?"

"No! I was just, well…"

"I _choose_ not to associate with my former teammates. That was a decision I made out of personal preference. What you do later is up to you, Sasuke."

"Okay."

When Itachi returned to work quietly, Sasuke continued to glance about the room nervously. His hold on his chopsticks tightened and tapped continuously on his porcelain bowl. He deduced the action became unbearable as Itachi placed a hand on his to still his movements.

"Sorry."

"There's more to your demeanor. Why are you so upset?"

"Nothing. I just um…Hey, can I ask you something else?"

Itachi smiled tiredly at the futile attempt to change the subject. "Go on."

"You have a lot of responsibility right? I mean with regards to duties."

"Yes."

"How is it that you go about getting it all done?"

"There's no secret to multi-tasking, Sasuke. It's a matter of time management and prioritizing."

"Yeah, but how about the stuff that's not required."

"Such tasks would be?"

"Well like…"

"Yes?"

"Uh…How do you manage to find time to hang out with Usagi?"

Both eyebrows raised in concern at the unusual inquiry. "I don't usually. It just happens naturally."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I don't force the meetings we have. At least not all the time. When I find that I'm available and have nothing better to do, I drop in."

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

"I've just been thinking about some things. That's all."

"Such as?"

"Well, for starters, do you think that someday I'll become like you."

"How so?"

"Well like an Anbu shinobi or something like that."

"I'm sure you can achieve whatever goal you set for yourself."

He gulped down more rice before continuing. "Yeah, I guess."

"Are you doubting your abilities as a shinobi?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Then what is it?"

"Just forget about it. I'm just stressed from work. That's all."

"If you insist."

Sasuke's chopsticks continued their incessant tapping on his bowl. He frowned and stopped abruptly upon seeing his brother's blank stare, however.

"You know, it is kind of weird."

"What is?" he asked as another page was flipped.

"That you and Usagi can get along."

Itachi's tired sigh was accompanied by a small smile. "So we're back to this again? You seem quite interested in how I interact with her."

"Well I only say that because…well…I mean, the girl is completely out of your league."

"Define league and explain why any of this should matter to you."

He bit back a reply when his brother finally set down his pen to give him complete attention.

"Surely you aren't just bringing all this up to discuss my relationships outside the clan. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what it is you hope to accomplish with these questions."

"I'm just making conversation."

He blushed subtly at his brother's derisive smirk. And only when his eyes rested on the tiny bugs sitting outside the window, did Itachi's lips open to an inevitable truth.

"So how did it go with Sakura?"

He choked on the fried shrimp before coughing out the stray pieces from his lungs. "What the hell does she have to do with anything?" One fist made contact on the table to illustrate the point.

"Did you ask her out yet?"

"No." He blushed visibly and turned his head away abruptly. "I got interrupted."

"Ah, I see. At least the attempt was made." His smile grew wider at the red hue on his little brother's face. It was not often Sasuke lost his composure, even behind closed quarters. This was an opportunity that no elder brother could forego. And so with a mischievous glint in his eye that was undoubtedly inherited from his mother, he moved in with full force.

"Have you held her in your arms under the romantic moonlight?"

Sasuke pouted more. "No."

"Do you whisper soft words of empty promises and amicable intentions?"

"Shut up."

"Ah, but surely you two have shared candlelit dinners."

"I'm not listening to you."

"Do you hold hands?"

"Jerk."

"Have you kissed yet?"

"No!"

"Rendered yourself lost in the moment in public places?"

"If I haven't kissed her yet, what makes you think I would have made out with her?!"

"Has she made attempts to ravish you?"

He held hands to his ears. "Shut up, Itachi."

"I'm simply making conversation, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the mockery.

"It's what you wanted, right?"

There was no response from his brother as he now shut his eyes in an attempt to drown the noise away. Itachi mused at how he could simply leave, but perhaps fried shrimp was simply too irresistible to pass up. With a small shake, he decided to segue into a conclusion.

"Have you told her you love her yet?"

"No, damn it!"

Sasuke froze with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. A twitch of the eye followed soon after. He glanced at first in disbelief at the bowl of half eaten rice as he contemplated on the current predicament. His eyelids narrowed into slits as he raised his gaze to his brother who picked up his own cup of tea for a quick drink, all the while smiling in unhidden mirth.

"I see what you did there."

"Mmm," was the mocking retort he received.

"And have you told Usagi…"

"Ninjas must not attack once the element of surprise is gone."

He sat back down abruptly and shoved a shrimp in his mouth. "I hate you."

"Love you too, little brother."

He would not take the bait again. As an extra effort to retaliate, he began his previous habits of bubble blowing and chopstick tapping. His timing for the day was completely off, however, as his mother seized that precise moment to step into the kitchen.

"Sasuke, sweetheart, you know I hate when you do that."

He immediately stopped at his mother's stern look and settled for the wooden patterns of the kotatsu as a distraction. Just somewhere on the other side of the table sat a smirking older brother. He just fucking knew it.

"Are you two enjoying your meal?"

"Ah, kaa-san," came the echoed replies.

"Well that's good. Sasuke, your father says he has a new holster and satchel for you since your old ones are wearing out."

He made no effort to hide the smile on his face. "Really? He got me a new one?"

"Yes. You can ask him about it whenever he gets home."

The previous agitation left him as eyes genuinely twinkled with happiness at the prospect of his father's gift.

"And as for you, Itachi, your father says not to forget your arrangements for today. He wants you prepared for that mission."

"I haven't."

"Good. And oh, that reminds me. Itachi, how is your girlfriend doing? I haven't seen her at all these past few weeks."

Itachi rolled his eyes before turning the delicate page of his binder. "She's fine, kaa-san. Busy with work."

"That's good to hear. I was beginning to worry. But you know, if you're not too busy with missions, you should invite Usagi over next month. I was thinking that we could have a family outing to the park. The leaves will begin to fall soon and the mid-autumn festival will be here before you know it. It would be nice to enjoy a picnic outside before it gets colder. Would that be feasible?"

"Sure, whatever."

Sasuke watched as his mother turned the knob for the running water. Steam began to spew from the contact it made with the sink. And as soon as she turned her back to tend to her dishes, Sasuke's leg reached underneath to gain his brother's attention.

"What?" Itachi whispered harshly.

"Aren't you going to tell her?" he motioned his head over to their mother.

"Tell her what?"

" About you and Usagi."

"What about us?"

"You know, the truth. About the two of you."

Itachi dismissed the idea passively. "Forget about it."

"You've been waiting for the perfect opportunity. Here it is."

Itachi lazily leaned on his hand as he flipped more pages. "If it had been a few weeks ago, I would have jumped at the opportunity. But the whole village practically knows now. Even if we told the truth, no one would believe it anymore. So that makes the whole attempt to reconcile the situation pretty moot."

"But what will you do now?"

"Just let it phase out on its own, I guess."

He frowned at Itachi's lack of passion towards such an important topic.

"_I'll_ do it, then."

"You'll fail."

"I'll get it out in one go."

"Try it. See what happens."

"Why are you acting so passive about this? It's a serious issue."

"There's nothing serious about discussing things that don't exist. Whatever it is she thinks we have, it should dissipate with time."

"Whatever. Watch me. I'll get it done."

"Then you'll do it without me. I have to go."

Mikoto turned a smile away from the dishes over to her sons. "What on earth are you two whispering about over there? Are you two conspiring against me?"

The two laughed nervously.

"Actually, kaa-san, you'll have to excuse me. I was just about to leave the table. I need to gather some things for my next mission."

"Of course. Sasuke here will keep me company. Ne, Sasuke?"

"A-ah…" was the hesitant response. He glanced over at his brother who tucked the blue binder under his arms."

"Itachi, don't forget to bring home some cabbage before you leave the village."

He waved a farewell after giving a nod of confirmation.

Mikoto smiled before turning back to her dishes. "That boy. Even I can see his mood has changed since his love life became public."

If only she knew that it wasn't changing for the better.

"Ne, kaa-san, do you honestly think that nii-san's behavior is because he's happy?"

"Of course sweetie. Men are usually proud creatures who grant considerable distance to those around them, especially shinobi men. But even your brother can smile around those he truly cares about. Even though he doesn't show it, Usagi makes him happy. Surely you can see that?"

"Yeah but, that's what friends are for, right?"

He tilted his head inquisitively at the smile his mother gave him while she washed her dishes. It was a smile he honestly couldn't decipher.

"It's different with Usagi."

"How so?"

"See for it yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"How your brother's eyes spark when they see her. He could be in a room full of many people. But those eyes of his will always find a way to her. And no matter how much others try to connect, they will always be lost in a world that belongs only to them."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, kaa-san."

She sighed loudly as the squeak of a teacup being washed followed the splash of water and soap. "Sasuke, Sasuke. There are some things you will just have to learn in time, I see."

"Hmm. Whatever."

Mikoto's eyes looked backed momentarily at her sulking son before they retrained their focus on the dishes in the sink. "It's the same kind of look you give Sakura whenever you see her."

It was the second time he choked on a shrimp that day.

Sasuke poked one eye at his mother. "Have you been talking to nii-san again?"

"This isn't something that is unbeknownst to the world, Sasuke. I see how you look at that girl."

"And how's that?"

"Like there's no one else around you. I see her reflection in your eyes. You only see her when she's around."

"Hmm." He evaded the reply by playing with the small grains of rice in his bowl. Carefully with his chopsticks, he took one piece and rearranged it to one side as another was moved to the opposite end. Before he realized it, he formed a tiny petal with the remaining pieces.

"You know, that invitation is reached out to you as well."

"What invitation?"

"If you ever want to bring Sakura over, please don't hesitate. I would like to get to know her better as well."

"What for?"

"Future in-laws should form a strong bond, don't you think?"

"Kaa-san!" He pouted at his mother's giggles.

"I am sincere about the offer, Sasuke. Please, don't be shy. Bring her over. Why, even your brother invites Usagi over occasionally. Although, I am worried as to why I haven't seen the girl in so long. I hope the two aren't quarreling or hitting a rough patch in their relationship."

He had already begun to leave as his mother continued to babble. After collecting his dishes and placing them in the dirty pile in the sink, he briskly trekked across the kitchen. But upon those words escaping his mother's lips, his ears twitched and mouth moved a fraction of a sliver at the cue. This was an opportunity he couldn't pass.

"Are you going out as well?"

"Yes, but I'll be back by dinner. I, well…actually at the moment I'm just going out for a walk. But before that…well…"

"It's not like you to be so flustered. Perhaps your mother has hit it on the mark." She winked and he pouted once more. "Are you having troubles that only your mother can help you with?"

"Troubles?"

"Matters of the heart, weakening nerves that are repressing your ability to tell her how you feel. Or perhaps…a rival at love?"

"Rival?"

Orange immediately entered his mind. And he didn't know what did it. Perhaps it was the resurfacing of ill emotions brought forth by the thought of the two cuddling together under the moonlight with a candlelit dinner as he whispered words of admiration into her ears. Perhaps it was the thought of them walking hand in hand or kissing and making out in public places. Perhaps it was his stupid brother's smirk as it lingered in his mind, or even just the stupid humming of his mother as she remained peacefully ignorant to the world around her. But whatever the reason, he took a deep breath before the verbal onslaught began.

"Look, this all needs to stop right now."

"I was just teasing you, sweetheart."

"No, not that!"

"Then what?"

"This whole Itachi and Usagi thing."

"I don't recall bringing that up at all."

"Well _I'm_ bringing it up and telling you it needs to stop."

"Sasuke, what are you going on about? If you're talking about my comment earlier, then I apologize. I didn't realize the two were really having a problem in their relationship."

"They're not!"

"Oh, well then all is well."

"All is not well, I'm telling you!"

"Then what seems to be the problem?"

"_You're_ the problem!

"_I'm_ the problem?"

"Yes! You're not getting this at all!"

"What in heavens are you speaking of, Sasuke?"

"Usagi and Itachi are not, I repeat, NOT in a relationship. They never _were_ in a relationship and probably never _will_ be in a relationship. There _is_ no affair either. Everything that you've been thinking about them has been nothing more than miscommunication and misinterpretation since the day of the interrogation, and they've been trying to tell you for the last few months, but you won't give them a chance. So _I'm_ telling you now, drop the subject and forget it ever happened because in actuality, it was all a farce. Now do you understand?"

Mikoto frowned before giving her cup one final wipe of her cloth. After quickly drying her hands on her apron, she took Sasuke's hand and settled him back down by the kotatsu. She smiled softly before caressing his face and pulling him into a hug.

"Oh sweetheart, come here."

"Huh?"

"I know that these changes are a bit difficult to absorb and that a lot is happening in just a short amount of time…"

"But…"

She silenced him with one finger to his lips. "But, your brother is still your brother. That is one relationship that will never change, Sasuke. He loves you dearly and will always be there for you."

"I can't…I…_what_?"

"It's like this. Your brother loves me and his father and you. Just because he has more people to love doesn't mean he loves us all disproportionately…"

"Actually I think he does," he muttered under his breath.

"So now he simply has one more person he's adding to the mix. Usagi and Itachi's relationship won't change anything between the two of you as brothers. She is simply offering him a different kind of love than the rest of us."

"Different?"

"Well sweetheart, there are just some things that a woman can provide for a man that you can't. It's as simple as that."

"Kaa-san, you don't understand. They don't care about each other like that."

"Sasuke, there's no need for you to trample on their feelings like that."

"But they don't! She's just his friend. That's it! They weren't and aren't having sex. They're just friends. That's all this is!"

Sasuke winced when his ear was yanked by his glaring mother.

"Enough is enough. You need to stop this nonsense. If you want to live in denial to the situation at hand, fine. But not believing in this relationship won't change the fact that it _does_ exist. You need to accept that your brother is in a relationship. The sooner you do that, the sooner you can cope with it and move on."

"But…"

"Am I understood, young man?"

His ear was pulled harder and tighter. "Oww! But, kaa-san. It _isn't_ true!"

"Not another word, Sasuke."

"You're not listening! Stop making things complicated! They are not in a relationship! And it's not my fault he doesn't give a crap about any of this anymore to actually put effort to solve the problem."

"Young man, are you belittling your brother's feelings for the girl?"

"No! I'm not saying he doesn't care about her, just not about…"

"Then you admit that he likes her?"

"Yes! Wait…"

Mikoto's clasped hands tilted ever so to the right. "See, that's the way! Once you accept the situation…"

"Stop twisting this around! Are you purposely trying to avoid the truth?"

"What truth?"

"What I've been telling you! Usagi and Itachi are not in a relationship. You have this all wrong!"

"Sasuke, I am not allowing you to spread this heresy around the village. Or are you purposely trying to destroy the relationship those two have worked so hard to maintain?"

"No! I'm just…"

"Good. And if I catch wind that you are spreading these rumours, I will punish you accordingly."

His jaw dropped. "That's bullshit! I can't get punished for being honest!"

Mikoto's eyebrow rose which caused Sasuke to shrink back and scowl in defeat.

"Fine, I don't give a crap anyway. It's _his_ problem."

"Language, Sasuke."

"Whatever." Another yank of his ear caused him to flinch. "Oww oww oww, okay okay. _Okay_!"

She released his ear abruptly. "No more of this nonsense. When you see your brother, make sure you give him your blessings. Am I understood?"

He sighed before he conceded to his side of the kitchen and rubbed his aching ear. "Whatever, fine."

"Good. Now I'm off to clean the porch. Be a good boy, Sasuke, and make sure you're back by dinnertime."

"Ah."

He watched his mother leave, humming away that accursed melody of hers—her existence replaced by his returning brother who walked casually over to the sink with a glass in hand. Sasuke blinked vacantly at his brother's throat as he gulped down fresh water.

Itachi refilled his glass for another drink and carefully assessed his quiet brother.

"You told her, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"And she didn't believe you, right?"

Sasuke groaned and begrudgingly replied. "No."

"Turned the conversation into another direction?"

"Yes."

"Misconstrued or twisted your words?"

"Ah."

"Threatened you with some form of punishment for uttering some type of personally constructed blasphemy?"

"Yeah."

"And left without giving you a chance to explain more?"

He nodded.

Itachi drank the glass in a few seconds before rinsing out his cup and placing it back. "Sounds about right."

"Nii-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Fuck you."

Sasuke abruptly left the house, ignoring his brother's genuine soft chuckles.

* * *

A loud clanking sound immediately stirred her from slumber. With a small groan of agitation, she cuddled more into her blankets and rolled over, murmuring to a nonexistent relative to give her at least another five minutes of sleep. As soon as the metallic noise halted, her frown disappeared and she relaxed into a more calm state of mind, content with returning back to her rest. But fifteen minutes later, the sounds of boiling reached her ears. One twitch became two and her ears had effectively picked up more bubbling sounds. The smell of a delicious broth tickled her nose soon after. She lapped up her tongue to suppress the drool. The overflow of sensations was too much and she found that sleep was no longer a viable option.

Her eyes opened slowly; the old wooden walls were the first giveaway that the place she was in was quite foreign. She acknowledged the old cauldron brewing a stew by the fireplace as the source of the smell and sounds from earlier. After a bout of procrastination, she hoisted herself into a sitting position. But a twinge of pain on her left shoulder and stomach had her bending over in pain.

"Oww."

After clutching onto her stomach, a new predicament was evident. Her entire torso was exposed save for the bandages wrapped tightly. Some deliberation occurred at the recollection of events prior to her current status. She recalled the group of girls and the attack before passing out. Perhaps she was now at her savior's house.

The sound of a door creaked open and she immediately dove back under the covers to feign sleep. The metallic sounds from earlier returned and she poked one eye open to catch a woman stirring the contents of the stew slowly. As the woman walked about, humming to herself, the poked eye closed again and reopened to find her smiling widely at her. She immediately grabbed the blanket and pillow as a form of protection.

"Ah, so you're awake now."

It was an elderly woman, mildly portly. She held her gray hair up in one huge bun and smiled over her right shoulder. Usagi was about to smile back until she examined everything around her. An old fashioned cauldron brewing, several knives splayed about, and the dark atmosphere of the room she was in. She gulped down a nervous yelp.

"U-um…w-where am I exactly?"

"You're in my house, of course."

She gulped again and stared at the boiling cauldron, cursing her traitorous stomach for growling at such an inopportune moment.

"I take it you're hungry then?"

She shook her head fiercely as the woman turned around to stir the contents of her pot.

"But I heard your stomach grumbling." She lifted the spoon to get a taste.

"Well, maybe just a little."

"Then you might want to stick around for the stew to be ready. All we need left is the main course."

Sweat began to fall down her pale skin.

"What are we having?"

"Rabbit stew, of course."

Her pupils shrank and she backed away immediately to the other side of the room.

"Oh my. Are you feeling alright?"

"Please don't eat me! I'm not even that tender, and I have little to no weight on me." She tried grabbing pieces of her skin and exposed her thin limbs. "See? Heh heh, no meat here."

"I'm sorry but…what?"

Like the frightened rabbit she was, she froze on the floor and curled up face down to protect herself, ignoring the sounds of a sliding door and approaching company.

"They were out of rabbit, dear. You'll have to settle for beef."

"Oh thank goodness you've arrived. The little one here is displaying some odd behavior. I think she may be suffering from hallucinations."

Usagi peaked from behind the arm covering her face and immediately sprung up. "Oyaji!" One look at his frown and she dove back under to maintain decency. The embarrassing act was easily forgotten as the old man tossed a large black shirt with an Uchiha crest in her direction.

"Get dressed then follow me."

"Yes, sir."

After a quick change and a nod to the elderly woman continuing her duties, she hesitantly followed the old man—maintaining a respectful distance from him as she did. When he made no effort to converse, she decided to give small talk a try.

"This is a nice place you have here."

And it really was. They walked down a wooden hallway and just beyond the doors to her right was an interior courtyard she occasionally caught glimpses of. The entire house seemed to be constructed like an internal maze and she wondered if that was simply for security purposes. But aside from the technicalities, the house itself was very beautiful and reminiscent of Itachi's home. It must have been an Uchiha trend to construct houses which retained a traditional appeal.

"Ah."

She laughed off his monotone response. His single syllable response was most likely another trend of Uchiha, men in particular.

"Oyaji, where are we going?"

"Mmm."

"Eh heh, uh…what are we doing then?"

"Mmm."

"Okay. Why are we…"

But the old man opened a shoji door with his cane into the courtyard she glimpsed at earlier from a distance.

"Okay…"

She silently followed his lead and sat down on the edge of the raised porch, a considerable distance from him to award him the respect he silently demanded. As she waited for some type of response from the old man, she let her bare feet dangle carelessly off the edge of the porch. As she swung them to and fro, her toes barely tickled the blades of grass from below. She allowed her toes to gently poke at the tiny bugs that crawled around each leaf. As she gazed about the yard, she took notice of the beautiful flowers, none native to the village. They were obviously there courtesy of the Yamanaka flower shop. She smiled at the feelings such wonderful flowers could illicit from within her.

"We Uchiha are not prone to partake in idle conversation. Surely you have picked that up by now."

Her smile grew at his acknowledgment to her previous questions. "Doesn't stop me from trying."

He grunted softly. "And I suppose Fugaku returns the favor?"

She smiled sadly. "No."

"I didn't think he would. We Uchiha men are proud creatures. We keep to ourselves most of the time."

Her head immediately swished to the side. "But that's not true! I mean, Itachi isn't that bad. We talk a lot."

"Oh, do you now?"

"Yes. And don't forget. There's also Shisui."

"Shisui?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't exactly call him proud or anything like that. And he's definitely not shy about talking, to women especially." She curiously looked over at the tiniest curve of his lip.

"No, to that he isn't."

They returned to silence as a single cloud loomed overhead. It was the only relief the two found from the hot sun. She silently begged for afternoon showers. It would do well for the village to cool down a bit. She watched as the old man sat back and allowed the wind to caress his face.

"You've met quite a bit of Uchiha, haven't you?"

"Sure. Itachi, Sasuke, Shisui, Mikoto-san, Fugaku-san, you of course Oyaji, Tekka-san and even Rei-chan."

"Rei-chan?" He gave a soft chuckle. "Don't let her catch you calling her that."

"Aww, she'll grow into it."

"We'll see about that."

The silence returned but didn't last as long for the old woman came with two bowls in hand.

"Sorry to keep you two waiting. Here you go."

They received their items and returned the gratitude simultaneously. Usagi made sure to give an added bow to pay her respects for the intrusion.

"It's no problem at all, sweetie. Enjoy the meal. And oh, as for your clothes…"

"Yes?"

"They are almost done drying. If it's one thing this sun is good for is drying off wet laundry. I'll just give them to you when you are ready to leave."

"Y…yes. Thank you."

"No problem at all. Now, I think those injuries need some tending to. I'll be back with some of my special ointment."

Her gaze lingered even long after the old woman left. Only when she heard the clanking of a spoon hit the bowl did she return back to the meal. One slurp and she was already in a state of euphoria.

"This stew is really good! Obaa-san really outdid herself." She immediately began to shovel more food in her mouth, opening it every now and then to allow more steam to pass through her lips. The lack of etiquette immediately garnered her attention, however, when the old man cleared his throat and delicately continued to eat his meal. She blushed at the rude behavior.

"S-sorry. I just…um…"

He swallowed his portion slowly before breaking her train of thought. "Those are quite some bruises you have on you."

"Bruises?" She quickly glanced down at all exposed skin. Having the short-sleeved shirt on did nothing to conceal the bruises adorning her wrists. Its large size also attributed to the exposed bruises on her neck. She took a sip of the stew, not quite sure how to respond to it. "I fell."

"Quite awkwardly, I might add."

Usagi's eyelids remained low even as the old man's wife came to apply some ointment on her cheek and forehead. She said nothing as new bandages were wrapped carefully around her injured wrists. She made a quick change of the patch on her forehead as well.

"There, that should be good for now. I'll just patch this up and leave you two be. But if you want seconds sweetheart, don't hesitate to ask."

"Mmm," she nodded.

The old man took his own swig of the stew as he stared into his large garden with no focus particularly in mind. "Those girls can be a handful. Spoiled brats are what they are. But I'm impressed; you held your own against them."

Usagi smirked. "Of course. After all, I can keep up pretty well with even Ita—" she froze at her mistake. Damn Uchiha and their deceptive methodologies.

"What will you do about it?"

"I don't know how else to get through everyone's head to leave me alone. The only thing I can do is defend myself."

"You could file a report."

She scoffed at the thought. "Sure, and knowing captain he'll probably just wave away the report like it was some complaint over what foods are in the vending machine."

The old man chuckled softly as he continued to eat. "Well then?"

"I don't know, really."

"Will you tell Itachi?"

"No!"

"Why not?

"He'll just make it a big deal and go after the girls. Then they'll hate me even more. And I'm back to where I started."

"But if there's anyone those girls will listen to, surely it's him."

"No they won't. Just to his face. As soon as his back is turned, they'll start again and just blame it on something else. And me being me…well…I'll just continue to defend myself."

"Why?"

"It's not right to cause trouble. Besides, the reason they'll keep doing those things is because I don't have their respect. There's nothing I can do if I don't have that."

"I see."

"It's okay, Oyaji. I can take those girls any day. I just wish I understood why they hate me."

"You'll have to forgive them. The clan has produced their behavior."

She blew her full mouth when a large sum of stew was too hot to bear. "What do you mean?"

"They hail from lines of conservative parents, each with their own view on how a clan should function. What started off as a means to protect our family's secrets has now become a showcase for pride and arrogance. It's hard to breed out such behavior when it's been handed down to them for generations now."

"That's not fair."

"Such is the fate of clans today."

"Yeah, I get the secrets part. But they don't have to be such snobs. That's their choice. Because Itachi and Shisui aren't like that at all."

"Yes, but that's because they have Mikoto as their mother. Try picturing the girls you just met and how their attitudes would reflect their future children."

Her spoon hit the bowl in a small plop. "Somebody should do something."

His nonchalant shrug was accompanied by a flick of the wrist as he tossed a few scraps of beef into the yard. Usagi watched as a fawn and brindle patterned dog pair came to lavish it up. She smiled as their cute curled tails began to wag in joy to the delicious free meal.

"Look at those two. Not a care in the world. You could give them scraps of the most disgusting food, give them the most menial of jobs and they would still wag their tail."

She giggled. "Dogs are very cute and so laid back. I wish more people were like them."

"Yes."

"Did you get these from the Inuzuka clan?"

"One of them. The other, the fawn, was actually a gift from the daimyo of my time himself. The finest pedigree dog of his breed in the land of fire. He hails from a very prominent bloodline, a testament to his superiority over others of the same kind. The pick of the litter, as they call it."

She leaned lazily on her hands as she watched them frolic about the garden. She smiled as they tackled each other to the dirt. "Yeah, and one of them is always going to be better than the other, right?"

"How so?"

"Well, I mean purebreds are known to be good at what they are bred for. A mutt can't compete with that kind of talent."

"And that's what determines an individual's worth?"

"I guess. I mean, those are the kinds of dogs people mostly want, right?"

"You seem to be under the impression that dogs are only worth what they can accomplish. Or from whom they were bred ."

"What do you mean?"

"Did it ever occur to you that I like Kondo just because he keeps me company and makes me happy? It's true that he may never be able to accomplish the same things that Faron can, but that doesn't limit his worth. Is a turtle so worthless because it cannot spring about the meadow like a deer? Or a rabbit so undesirable for it cannot soar with the falcon?"

She stared up into the afternoon sky, catching the briefest glimpse of a feathered animal.

"And you seem to be forgetting something as well."

"What's that?"

"The breeds that we know today didn't always exist as they are."

"I don't understand."

"Take Faron for instance. His line traces all the way back to a female who was born to a couple of farmers. She had a trait they desired and was since bred to keep that trait inherent in the line. In other words, Faron here came from a dog very similar to Kondo. So, in the end, they're not so much different after all."

She smiled softly as she watched the two continue their sparring match.

"Clans are the same way. No one clan began pure, as they call it. A group of people came together for a common goal and invited others to join them. That line bred more and brought others together and the cycle continued. Although the clans we know today try to keep their lineage rich, it didn't always start out that way. And I think it's that very important fact that most people forget nowadays. That the clans we know today began once upon a time…" His eyes slid to hers. "…from people like you."

Her eyes widened at the proclamation. They settled on the now sleeping duo in the yard.

"You think Faron cares that Kondo isn't pure like him? That he doesn't hail from a prominent clan? That he can't do the same things he does?"

"No."

"Of course not. And he's happy to have him still the same."

She couldn't stop the wide smile that spread on her face.

"I can't say what is to become of you two. Only you both can decide that. But come distance or union just know that when times are their hardest, you two will always have each other to return to. No matter how many times life separates you and for however long, that in the end the two of you will find your way to each other again. What you two share is an unbridled will. Even the smallest candle can burn the brightest light in the dark. Don't ever forget that."

She nodded confidently. "I'll always remember that. Oyaji, thank you."

"Hmm. Well, you should be heading back to headquarters now. I'm sure Fugaku is expecting you as you are late returning as it is."

"I will."

She smiled again even as the old man gathered her empty bowl. She ignored the shoji door and the male voice that followed. The old man had turned his attention to the new company and so she turned hers to the falcon in the sky as it circled once then twice. Oyaji was right. Maybe they would have their problems down the road, and there may come a time when the two would be tested with distance, but in the end, their friendship would prevail. Knowing that perhaps Itachi too held the same tenacity for their friendship was comforting. He had kept this up all along, after all. The two would indeed face many trials but in the end, they would always triumph.

"Again? That's the second time you've come for my weapons this month."

"It can't be helped. I'm going on a dangerous mission. And your katana is better suited for it than mine."

She heard a large clap and knew without looking that the young man was more than likely on his knees, pleading to the old man.

"I suppose you also want to take a gander at my armor?"

Her ears twitched at the familiar chuckles.

"Well, I wasn't going to ask but since you offered."

"Honestly, you're just like your mother." He sighed before resigning to the task.

"Thanks, old man. I knew you'd come through for…me…"

His voice was no longer a mystery and Usagi immediately turned around to gaze at the figure.

"Shisui! What are you doing here?"

"Usagi? I could say the same to you!" He quickly glanced at the oversized black Uchiha shirt before placing mischievous hands over his mouth to conceal the smile. "Oi, Oyaji, you're hitting on them pretty young, aren't you?"

Not a second was spared before a cane found its way behind Shisui's head.

"I'm not you, idiot."

He rubbed the tender spot soothingly, not once letting up on Usagi's attire. "That shirt really suits you, Usagi. Had it been a few sizes shorter, I mean. But hey, I'm not complaining on the view."

Usagi gasped as she realized how much the loose shirt exposed. Remembering the bandages as well, she quickly did her best to push the material flat against her chest. "Pervert."

He smiled playfully before the old woman returned with a pile of clothes in hand.

"Usagi, your clothes are all dry."

"Thank you, obaa-san."

"Come right this way. I'll lead you to a place where you can get changed."

"I think I'll come along too. Just to help you out, of course." But Shisui's attempts to pursue the blonde were immediately thwarted by the old man as he wrapped a tight arm around his neck. "Oyaji! I was joking!"

"One can't be too sure with you."

"Aww, come on. This is Usagi. She's Itachi's girl, after all."

"Hmm."

"And anyway…"

"What is it?"

There was no trace of play left on his face when his gaze settled from the blonde's previous position back to the old man. "That's quite the bandages she has on."

"I hear it's all the rage with the kids these days."

"I noticed some bruises on her as well."

"The girl is clumsy. What can you s—?"

"Oyaji!"

The old man sighed before retreating back to the porch. "It's of no concern to you."

When the old man continued to stand on the porch with his eyes transfixed on birds making songs on the roof, he slowly closed the distance.

"Itachi will want to know."

"So he may."

"He'll demand it. If not from me then from her."

"Then that's for her to decide."

"But, Oyaji!"

"Shisui, if you want the katana, I will want a favor from you in its stead."

He spat at the old man's dismissal of his genuine concern for the girl. "What's that?"

"Take Usagi here back to headquarters. Make sure she arrives in one piece." He spared one glance back. "You can also go through my armor if you so please."

"But…"

"This is what you can do for me. For her."

His eyes closed in resignation. "Ah, I understand."

"Good."

The two ceased further discussion upon hearing the sounds of nearby footsteps.

"She's all cleaned up and changed."

"Good. Girl, Shisui here will escort you to headquarters."

"Oh, okay. Um…Oyaji, thank you again for…"

"Report immediately. I'm sure Fugaku has lost his patience as it is."

"A-ah…" Usagi frowned as the old man had reverted back to his dispassionate self. She was comforted from the thought by a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about the old man. He's always like that."

"Okay…" she winced from the extra pressure of Shisui's weight.

"Are you well?"

"Yes…just…nothing."

"Hmm. Well let's get moving."

There was little distance between the two as they walked down the streets of Konoha.

"Oi, Shisui."

"Mmm?"

"What were you doing back there?"

"Just picking up some stuff from Oyaji."

"You act like you know him. I mean, well, of course you would. As an Uchiha, it's only natural you do. But well…I don't know if many go to his house directly to ask for something. Is that normal? And the way you two talk. It's as if you know each other on a more personal level."

He threw his head back in laughter.

"What?"

"You mean you haven't figured it out?"

"Figured it out? Figured what out?"

"Oyaji, he's my actual grandfather. That house you were in, I grew up there as a kid before my parents moved out."

"Oyaji is your grandfather?! No way!"

"Yes, so it's only natural I visit him from time to time."

"Yeah…"

"But as for you…"

"What about me?"

"Surely you weren't there to discuss his garden."

"Uh well…actually I was just there…on official business. I had to deliver something and ended up staying longer."

"What were you doing in one of my shirts?" He placed a thoughtful hand on his chin. "No, wait. Let me guess. You were trying to become acquainted with my scent, weren't you? Usagi, you sneaky girl."

"No, you pervert!"

"Then what?"

"I well…I spilled some stew on my clothes so obaa-san cleaned them up for me. I wore whatever she gave me in the meantime."

"Ah, I see."

She had already been attuned to his inquisitive nature long ago. That had not disappeared with time. Perhaps it was attributed to his career as a ninja. Whatever the case, she braced herself for the upcoming onslaught she knew she couldn't forestall.

"You know, I do have to say that the Uchiha crest really does suit you. Maybe someday I'll get to see you in one for good."

Trying to shift the argument away from the inevitable transition he was most likely trying to grasp, she playfully hit his shoulder. "Are you making a proposition? Well, I just want you to know that I'm not interested. I know what kind of guy you are."

"I'll have to settle down some day."

"It won't be with me."

He laughed whole heartedly. "Shot down. Alright, I get it. Your taste runs a different affinity anyway. More towards Itachi."

Her lips quirked to the side and she glared lazily at his statement.

"I do hope that's a joke."

"Just do me one favor. When you and Itachi have children…can you please name one Shisui Junior?"

"Idiot! You can only call something junior if it shares the same name with the father."

Shisui immediately feigned a debonair smile. "Why Usagi, are _you_ the one making a proposition now?"

"Idiot." Her glare persisted as he took both hands to his lips.

"Usually it's the man who proposes. But in this case, I have no problem letting a woman come out on top. I find it exhilarating."

"Stop that! People will see and then what will they…" Her words halted and her gaze fell to her exposed wrists as Shisui immediately tugged down her long sleeves.

"Mind explaining these to me?"

"Uh…the latest fashion?"

"Try again."

"To conceal my senbon?"

"Wrong."

She sighed when the goofy playboy look had been stolen from his eyes.

"I just fell, okay?"

"Well you fell…"

"…awkwardly. Yes, I know."

"So let's try this again. Who did it?"

"Did what?"

He completely stepped over her denial. "Was it Fugaku?"

"No one hurt me."

"Tell me, Usagi! This is serious."

"It's nothing. I just got a little hurt. That's all. You don't have to make a big deal about it."

"Usagi, if anyone hurt you, tell me. I'll kick their ass."

"You're not serious!"

"I am. And so will Itachi once he finds out."

"He's not going to find out!"

"How many were there?"

"Not many so don't…" she glared at having once again been caught in an Uchiha trap. "I hate it when you guys do that."

"So it's true."

"Yes."

"You weren't out on any missions, so let me take a wild guess; it was Yui's little girl squad wasn't it?"

Usagi sighed in defeat and reluctantly answered. "Yes, but please don't make a big deal out of it!"

"Tch." He immediately scowled as he checked the surrounding environment for any signs of unwanted girl groups.

"Shisui, promise me you won't tell Itachi."

"I can't do that, Usagi! He has a right to know! Especially if Rei sent them after you."

"But those girls didn't say anything about Rei-chan sending them."

"You can never tell. But don't worry. Itachi and I will straighten out this whole thing."

"No you won't!" She ran in front of him and put her entire weight against his chest.

"Usagi!" he brushed away her hands as they attempted to push him further away from the direction he wanted to take.

"If you tell Itachi, it will only make things worse. The girls will just get more aggressive."

"They'll do that regardless."

"Just please, let me handle this on my own. I'm tired of everyone treating me like I can't handle myself. I promise; I can handle it."

"I still don't like it. And Itachi will find out one way or another."

"Let me handle that when the time comes."

"I'm not satisfied with this, Usagi. But all right; you win. I won't tell Itachi what happened to you."

"Thank you, Shisui."

"Ah. But here you are. Safe and sound at headquarters." He nodded over at the busy entrance. "I kept my end of the bargain to my grandfather. In return, try to stay safe and take it easy. If you ever need an escort, don't be afraid to ask Tekka for one. Just tell him you need the extra help."

"Okay."

"Take care of those wounds as well. I would stay longer but I have a mission coming up."

"Mission?"

"Ah, Itachi and I will be going in on this one actually. It's covert so I can't reveal more to you."

"I didn't realize he was leaving for a mission."

"He didn't tell you?"

She shook her head.

"Well, we'll be back after a few weeks so no worries." He winked playfully at her. "I'll watch over your man."

"Ha ha. Funny."

"But seriously, it's not like Itachi to keep things from you."

"Well, he's been busy. And it's not like he has to share everything with me. But...to be honest we haven't really spent a lot of time together. He's mostly been hanging out with Rei-chan on his down time."

"I see."

"And that's fine. I understand completely."

"Do you?"

"Yes. Especially considering that Rei-chan may one day be his wife."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"I don't know really. I feel happy for him. I do. But a part of me…"

"A part of you what?"

"It kind of feels like the end of something. I don't know. I just have this bad feeling about something."

"Try not to dwell on it. Itachi may be a bit thick-headed sometimes but he's a good friend."

"I know he is. I don't doubt that."

"Good. Then in that case try to cheer up some. I'm sure as soon as he finds some time, he'll come over to your place. You forget that he's a busy boy, you know?"

"That's true. He has a lot on his mind these days. I'm sorry if I sound so selfish."

"Nah. It's fine. But this is where we part Usagi. I'm in a bit of a hurry. I still have a few more preparations to make before we have to leave."

"That's fine; we're already here, anyway."

"Try to cheer up, Usagi."

"I will. Thank you."

He smiled and waved a final farewell just as she too moved across the road. She ignored the stares she received from passing pedestrians as well as the subtle glances the men at headquarters gave her when they thought she wasn't looking.

She waited for the captain's instructions after the light knock on the door.

"Come in."

His face remained stationed to the scroll laid out before him. Occasionally, he reached over to his glass of water for quick hydration before reverting back to his work. Usagi waited patiently for acknowledgment. It came in the form of a tired sigh.

"I assume you have a reason for entering my office."

"O-oh y-yes! I have delivered the parcel as you requested."

"I see."

There was another gap until he responded. Uncomfortable with the silence, she focused on the ticking noises of his clock and regarded several photos on his shelf with mild curiosity. One in particular had him wrap his arms around his two sons. Only the faintest glimpse of a smile bore his face and she wondered if that characteristic was only reserved for his immediate family as she had never once seen that genuine mark on his face before.

"You've been gone for quite some time."

She shook her head to clear away the daydreaming.

"Y-yes, well, I apologize."

"I take it the item was delivered accordingly?"

"Yes, the parcel was delivered without any problems."

"Without problems? Then what deterred you from returning promptly?"

"W-well, the truth is…I got kind of sidetracked. And it's entirely my fault! I will accept whatever punishment you have ready for me!"

She bowed her apology before he had any room to verbally lash at her.

Fugaku's eyes quickly acknowledged the gesture before reverting back to his work. It wasn't as if the girl's disappearance caused a major hindrance to the work schedule. The help she provided was more as a convenience for other workers since she they could forego the trivial tasks completely. But the establishment was a place of order, conduct and punctuality. No one was exempt from the structure their founding fathers created.

His hand stilled its writing when a flash of white cloth caught his attention. Gazing back at her bowing form, he noticed a few oddities he had not given care to upon her first appearance in his office. He narrowed his eyes with greater focus to material wrapped around her wrists and a patch above her left eye. He then followed that path to the small cuts on her jaw. And there must have been a peculiar tint to his stare, for she immediately flustered in response.

"I…I fell, actually." He opened his mouth only to have her interrupt again. "Quite awkwardly," she giggled nervously. When his face was petrified in its current state with no response, her mouth spewed more babble. "But don't worry! After my duties, I will go to the hospital and have a medic check on me. They'll have me fixed up, good as new in no time! So that way I can come back and…"

He cleared his throat in an attempt to cease her incessant talk. "In that case, you are dismissed to tend to your wounds."

"…and so I'll go back to the post to check on my work and….wait what?"

"You're dismissed for the day. Go."

"B-but. What about the rest of work? And Tekka-san? Doesn't he need…?"

"_Go_," was the firm response.

"U-uh, y-yes sir."

It was before five in the afternoon; the captain never let anyone out that early unless they had prior engagements. But who was she to question a free get-out-of-work pass? One sneak back through the windows to his office had her smile secretly. Maybe, just maybe, it could have been that the boss was actually worried. She shook her head at the silliness. No, he simply found no use for her injured. With greater pace, she hastily made way to find her current superior.

"Tekka-san!"

"Usagi. What's the rush?"

She smiled all the while she attempted to catch her breath.

"Captain is letting me off early today."

"Really?" He stepped back at her current form. "What happened to you? Did you get hit by a rickshaw?"

"Well, I kind of got into an accident during my delivery."

"What kind of accident? Were you attacked? If so, we have to report this!"

"I wasn't attacked. Come on, it was early in the afternoon. Who in their right mind would make an open attack in broad daylight in a busy complex?"

"If not that, then what happened?"

"I just got a bit clumsy that's all."

"Even so, those cuts…"

She smiled widely. "The medics will look at me, so there's no problem. But actually I just came by to let you know that captain gave me the orders to go get myself checked. So that means I probably won't be back at all today."

"Very well. You didn't have that much left on the list, anyway. I'll see to it that it gets done one way or another."

"I'm sorry for leaving you like this."

"Go, tend to your wounds. I'll see you next week."

"Thanks, Tekka-san!"

Without giving another chance for more people to ask repetitive questions about her current state, she ran out the doors and down the streets, one destination in mind. Despite her current wounds, she was elated about her early release. The wounds weren't too bad and so a medic wasn't necessary. And it wasn't as if Fugaku gave her orders to go to the hospital, simply to tend to her wounds. A few ointments, a bath and some rest would clear this up in no time. But more importantly, the opportunity to catch up on her reading was looking much more promising then finishing off the day with duties. With a more upbeat pace, she rushed around the corner and down the familiar neighborhood. So lost in her thoughts and elation, she didn't pay attention to the figure before her until the two were now sprawled on the floor and newly inflicted bruises began to take their toll.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention! I was…"

Usagi paused as the boy rubbed the back of his head with a silent curse. Blue eyes met with a familiar blue shirt and crest. The boy's head rose to meet his assailant and Usagi's mouth dropped in surprise at the familiar lop of black spiky hair.

"Sasuke?!"

"Usagi? Some habits are hard to break, I guess."

"Heh, yeah. Sorry about that. I was just released from work by the captain, so I'm a little eager to get home."

He was more alert now to everything and his eyes quickly looked over the bandages and patch on her body.

"I um…I got into an accident earlier."

"What the hell did you do?"

"Well work was rough and I got a bit clumsy. Next thing I know, I'm a little in shambles."

"Hmm."

"But what's up with you? It's not like you to space out either."

"What do you mean?"

"Any normal day and you would have been able to dodge that no problem."

"Whatever."

"Sasuke?"

He rounded the corner of a picket fence and despite the obvious disinterest for company, she followed suit. What was surprising to her wasn't his lack of attention to a girl walking beside him, but rather, the lack of rude comments in an attempt to shoo said person away. Sasuke was very much like his older brother and refused attention from most people outside the immediate family. Bewildered by his acceptance of her company, she remained glued to his side, keeping in stride with his.

"You're still following me."

"Yes."

"Why are you still following me?"

"I don't know. I thought you were leading me somewhere."

"Did I say I was escorting you somewhere?"

"No."

"Then what gave you the impression that I was?"

"You didn't say to leave you alone."

"And that constituted the desire for your company?"

"Well I…"

"If I didn't tell you I wanted fish, does that mean that I want it?"

"Why do you want a fish?"

"I didn't say I did! I'm just…you know what, forget it."

His steps quickened as did her own pace.

"Why are you so angry today?"

"Because you're pissing me off."

"That's circular logic."

"It's causation. You piss me off; I'm angry."

Usagi smirked before poking out a playful tongue. "I think this is redirected aggression. You're mad at something else and taking it out on me."

"No, you're provoking me. You could have easily not followed me."

"Is it your family?"

Sasuke sighed loudly. "Tch. Isn't your home the other way?"

"I have time to kill," she smiled brightly.

"How my brother gets along with you, I'll never know."

"Why does everyone think that _he's_ the one suffering from this friendship? After all, Itachi can be quite the jerk sometimes."

His eyes widened slightly at the name of his older brother. The way Usagi pouted in recollection of personal accounts with Itachi and the huff of indignation as a result of reminiscing caused his left eyebrow to rise in curiosity.

"Jerk?"

"Well, your brother can be really nice one moment and then a complete pain the next. I really don't get it."

He smirked at his own recollections from earlier in the day when his brother found the need to tease him mercilessly about his affairs outside the clan. "I know that feeling."

Suppressing a blush in front of people never posed a problem for him. It didn't stop the annoyance from the giggles that escaped her.

"I take it you and your brother have a healthy relationship?"

"Define healthy."

"Well, I mean, you two do get along in the end, right? And you spend a lot of time together. Don't you enjoy his company?"

Dodging the question, he scoffed away the tender moments they shared. "He never stops being an asshole when I'm trying to be serious."

"Did you two get into a fight?"

"Whatever."

Usagi smiled at Sasuke's resignation. The boy made no effort to push her away, and so the two continued their slow journey through the streets of Konoha.

"Since you obviously have no intention to leave me alone, then you can answer a few questions I have."

"Yes?"

"In all this time, I never got a chance to talk to you about it. The things between you and my brother actually."

"Oh?"

"For starters, what is my brother to you?"

"He's a friend, of course."

Sasuke's mocking smile caused Usagi to frown.

"What?"

"You're both clueless. But secondly, what will you two do about the problems?"

"What problems?"

He rolled his eyes. "The fact that everyone still thinks you're in a relationship when you're not."

"Oh, that. Well, I agree with Itachi on this. I think it's just something you have to let phase out on its own. No one is really hurt about it…" her eyes subconsciously fell to her wrists and back to the road. She knew Sasuke followed her trail and was grateful when he didn't call her out on the matter. "…and so we should just forget about it until people have moved on and lose focus on us."

"Hmm."

"Are you worried about us?"

"No. Just curious."

"I see."

He occasionally stole glances from her; his main focus remained on the road before him and lingered to the nearby shops. He caught a preview of the display case from the weapons shop and remembered his coveted sword lying in wait for its purchase. He wondered when it was he would be ready for it, ready for the next chapter in his career and even more so, how those changes would affect his life. Whether it was a life as future Anbu or jounin captain, nothing would be the same for him once he took that first pivotal step.

"Your brother is quite the busy guy, huh? His Anbu missions are starting back up really soon."

"I take it you rarely see each other these days."

"On occasions we do."

"Does that bother you?"

"I understand and respect that his life is a bit busier than mine."

"That still doesn't ease the sadness, does it?"

Her head slowly turned to the left to meet his profile. "No, it doesn't."

"Hmm."

"Sasuke, are you having problems with something?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Your brother makes time for you despite how busy he is, doesn't he? I know he mentioned a lot about having sparring matches with you and helping you on your missions."

"Yeah. We're fine."

"So then it's not really a problem with Itachi, huh?"

"Hmm."

"Honestly, interrogating you Uchiha is troublesome."

"Then don't bother."

"I wonder if Rei-chan has this much trouble with Itachi."

His right lip quirked up. "Are you jealous?"

"Huh?"

"About those two spending more time together."

"Of course not! Why would you say that?"

"I think you are."

She turned her head abruptly back forward and mocked his earlier movements. "Whatever."

"Unlike Uchiha, you're pretty easy to read."

"Don't you have your own personal affairs to worry about?"

He didn't mean to react. It was completely involuntary on his part. Someone had taken control of his mind and did it. But regardless of the excuses he gave himself, Usagi smiled wickedly at what he could tell from the reflection of her eyes was a blush.

"You _do_ have your own love problems!"

"I do not!"

"Come on tell me what they are. It's Sakura isn't it? Tell me it's Sakura."

A few curious people stopped only for the briefest second to spare a glance at the outburst.

"Will you shut up!?"

"You shouldn't be so shy about professing your love for the woman of your dreams!"

"You're doing this on purpose…" he whispered roughly.

"If only Sakura knew how much…" Usagi voice was caught in her throat as she was hastily dragged by the collar to a nearby tree, away from spectators.

"Shut up! Do you want the whole damn world to hear us?"

"Sasuke, you should be proud of these feelings. Don't be so embarrassed by it."

"I just don't like unnecessary attention."

"Yeah…" she paced around the Uchiha like a vulture. It was a move he did not appreciate for his feet immediately repositioned themselves into a defensive stance. "So now that we've established what the problem is, let's talk more about the issue. So, what are your problems with Sakura?"

"I'm not having any problems with her. You came to that conclusion on your own."

"Then it all worked out for you two? You're a couple now?"

"I'm not answering."

"She returned the feelings, right?"

"Still not."

"And when's the wedding, anyway?"

He growled in frustration when the stupid questions bombarded him relentlessly. On second thought, it wasn't a mystery to him how she got along with his brotherl. The two were insufferable. "You know what? I don't have time for this crap. I'm going home. And I don't want to see you following m—"

"Don't be afraid to risk it, Sasuke."

His feet remained positioned on the grass as the breeze picked up and tossed the leaves of the tree far away from their presence.

"It's worth the risk. If you really love her, it's worth the risk."

"What risk?" It was a stupid move to make if he wanted the conversation over.

"You're worried it won't work out for you, I think. But I can tell you from what I see that Sakura probably returns the feelings as well. I'm sure you're aware of that too." She placed a hand on each hip and jokingly glared. "Besides, what are you so worried about anyway? I thought Uchiha men were confident and can get any girl they want. I thought there was nothing an Uchiha couldn't do!"

The leaves began falling even more as the breeze picked up.

"Naruto…"

"Hmm?"

"Naruto, likes Sakura too. He's a very close friend of yours. I'm surprised you aren't rooting for _him."_

"Love isn't about rooting on a side. In the end, you have to think about the feelings of everyone involved. Naturally, someone is always going to get hurt. And as much as I love Naruto, I know how Sakura feels…about you. If you're not going forward with this, I think you're being cowardly, Sasuke. If she settled for anything but you, I don't think she would be happy. And if you settle for anything less, I think you would be unhappy as well. Either way, you two would be dishonest by disregarding the feelings you have."

"Since when are you an expert in this?"

"I'm not. This is just stuff I hear from Minako-chan and Mako-chan all the time."

It was a few minutes of howling wind until all was settled and the air was still. The cardinals from earlier returned to their nests on the nearby branches, and the loud sounds of the hustle and bustle of the town returned in full force. The shuffling sound of grass soon caught up as Sasuke took one step then two.

"Risk, huh?"

"Yeah, you have to decide if it's worth the…"

He waved a taunting finger to and fro at the blonde before him. "Usagi, didn't anyone ever tell you something else about Uchiha men?"

"Eh?"

The smirk on his face was something that eased the tension and made her smile. She had a good feeling that whatever would spew from his mouth was a testament to another famous trait of those damn Uchiha males.

"There are no risks when it comes to our plans. Only procedures and positive results."

She smiled even as he disappeared into the busy crowd. "Good luck, Sasuke."

She stepped over a broken twig before leaving behind the shelter of the small shade the tree had to offer. It was a sunny day, the clouds were returning, she was coming home early from work and it gave her a sense of pride to know that her advice might have actually been heeded by people. None of those feelings, however, prepared her for the man standing outside her living quarters. He was focused on nothing in particular as he leaned heavily outside the complex walls. It had been so long since he sought her out. And with his mission so close at hand, she didn't think he would have the time. As an extra measure to hasten, she ran over to Itachi in glee. But perhaps it would have been better to forego the meeting altogether, for his face was anything but inviting.

"What the hell happened to you?!"

She was surprised when he didn't wait for her to approach him, even more so for the genuine shock on his face upon detailing her current state of attire.

"I just got in a little accident."

"_Accident_?"

"Yeah, you see when I was…"

"I can already tell anything coming out of your mouth is going to be a farce, so spare me the lie. I know someone did this to you."

She pouted in anger at the betrayal. "It was Shisui, wasn't it? He told you about this. And after he promised he wouldn't tell you!" She halted his speech with a hand. "Look, I know what you're going to say, but I can handle myself. The only reason it was like this was because they all ganged up on me. But seriously, in a one-on-one match, I would have completely beaten that Yui girl."

"Yui?"

"And I don't care if her girl squad keeps coming after me. I won't let them push me around. I'll keep fighting back every day if I have to. We'll show them, right Itachi?" Her gentle fist was met with a frown. "Right?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Yui and her gang attacked you?"

"Yeah Shisui told you…didn't he?"

"Shisui told me to talk to you immediately because you had something important to say."

Usagi blanched at her voluntary outburst. She had lost count how many times Uchiha had fooled her that day.

"And here I see you in bandages…"

She winced from his hold on her wrists.

"And injuries. Usagi, this is serious."

"They're just minor injuries…"

"…that shouldn't have been dealt in the first place. I was worried something like this would happen from the beginning."

"But you had no way of knowing."

"I'm not stupid. I knew what kind of people those girls were. But I was naïve enough to believe that Rei's words would have been enough to keep them away from you."

"You make this sound like it's your fault."

"It _is_ my fault. I should have calculated this. It's because of me that you are the way you are now."

"No it isn't! Quit saying that! You couldn't have possibly…Itachi?" She immediately cut off his exit. "Stop! Where are you going?"

"I'll talk to them."

"But if you do that, they'll just get angrier at me. Honestly, I've been telling everyone that it's best to leave me alone."

"But they'll continue to harass you otherwise."

"Look, if they're going to come after me, they're going to do it one way or another. You talking to them isn't going to change anything."

"Usagi, you can't just…wait, what did you just say?"

"I said that you talking to them isn't going to change anything. It hasn't changed how Rei-chan feels about me or your dad. I don't think it will do any good to those girls either. Simply talking to them isn't going to solve anything, Itachi. They're not willing to listen! That's why there's no point to it."

He took a few steps back, eyes fixated on the tiny pieces of gravel on the road. When Usagi took a few steps forward and kicked the tiny rocks away, he looked up at her inquisitive eyes before glancing up to the afternoon sky. The clouds were beginning to form into the anticipated cool rain later that afternoon. Usagi was right. Usagi was absolutely right. Talking never solved anything for them. It had not worked before, now and would not work for them later. No words they could possibly construct could salvage this.

"Itachi?"

"I don't think this is going to work out."

"I know. That's why we should just leave it alone. Don't worry. Just like I toughened out your dad, I'm sure I can wait out this storm. We just have to be…uh…diligent, ne?"

"No, I mean I don't think _this_ is going to work out. Our arrangement."

"You mean, like me going to headquarters? I don't think that's a problem to any—"

"I meant you and me being together."

She had not meant to gasp that loud but surely she misunderstood him. A mild giggle escaped at first to lessen the tension but when she reopened her eyes, the man before her was not finding anything amusing. Her heart beat faster and her hands shook minimally with anxiety to how quickly the conversation was turning.

"I don't think this is going to work out, Usagi."

"But it's not that ba—"

"Look at you!"

She did. Taking a glimpse at her wounds and sewn up clothes, she supposed it was quite a spectacle for anyone who cared to pay attention.

"I'm sorry it came to this, Usagi. If I just would have…"

"Would have what?"

His lungs contracted for a deep sigh. Instead of prolonging the conversation, he gently pushed her out of his way and turned his back to her.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"I have my mission after all. You go home and get some rest."

"Okay, but can you tell Tekka-san that…"

"Your services won't be needed anymore. Don't report back to headquarters again. In fact, it would be wise if you simply stayed out of the Uchiha district altogether."

"O-oh, okay. Just until you come back from your mission and get everything sorted out, right?"

The shaking returned when his back was accompanied with silence.

"Right, Itachi?"

"Let's just leave things at this."

"What do you mean?"

"Just stay here. Don't come back."

"But Itachi…"

"_Stay_."

The words that escaped were not a silent plea to a friend, but rather a firm order from a superior to a subordinate. Her training instincts caused her to nod in affirmation to the hidden command.

"But you'll come by and see me sometimes?"

She swallowed hard when he began to walk off.

"I…Itachi?"

"Just stay here. Please."

The genuine desperation in his last word made her yield to his request. He left her with only the breeze as company. The patch on her forehead became loose as a result and was whisked away with the wind. Vacant eyes studied the dull green color patterns of the nearby tree leaves. The birds had long since given up perch on that branch as they flew past the blue roofs of the cluster of buildings. There were distant noises she couldn't quite pinpoint. They all seemed a muddled cry from above the surface. As the air picked up, she felt an involuntary shiver take control. The unsteady beat of her heart was soon followed by the unsteady breathing of her lungs. Eyes flinched from the tiny droplets that fell from the sky. She rubbed the cold moisture off her cheek.

There was nothing she could do to reverse the effects of the upcoming afternoon showers.

* * *

**End Chapter.**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So...yeah, how about that holiday spirit everyone?

lalala: Merry Christmas. Although it ended on such a bad term...

Before the onslaught of angry yelling, I have to address a few things. I apologize for the VERY late update but I was busy with several projects. The SasuSaku event in the summer, the campaign trip to the States in the fall for the election and catching up with my work at home and personal life as well. I only recently was able to pick up this story again as I was waiting on my beta. And now I know so many of you will be pretty angry at me for how it left off thinking this to be a major step back from the progress. Keep in mind, though, that the story, aside from specific scenes, is pretty much set. I know how it's going to end and the overall flow of each chapter. I don't want to say how many chapters since I rather keep you in suspense but we are approaching a midway point to the story. Remember, this is a simple story about the psychological journey of two people and their relationship. So don't expect any long-lost princess type of stuff here. Itachi and Usagi seem to be in a rough spot at the moment but many of you should have seen this coming. We'll see how our heroes deal with this new predicament.

Okay, _now_ you can throw the vegetables at me. In fact, if you leave a review after reading this, please name the veggie at the end of your review that you would like to throw at me.

xxx

To answer some questions/reply to comments:

1. Seijuuro will be playing only a minor role but you will see hints of...something later. He and Usagi's other teammates will make an appearance within the next two chapters, I believe.

2. There's no way I could make a story of Usagi without her illegitimate twin. And to answer a previous comment, hahah we will see about Minako and Shisui. Who thinks it would be a funny side pairing?

3. And I think Mikoto is lost for life... :3

4. People keep bringing up romance...believe me, that is going to happen. Also...no, I will refrain from giving that away just yet.

5. I appreciate all reviews and general comments and stuff. If you have something to suggest or whatever please feel free to review it or send me a PM if you are too shy to make it public.

6. Been asked about the rating before. It's to be safe, for FF standards have changed a bit and because of some content later on in the story.

xxx

Chibi's Challenge of the chapter: Internet Meme. Who spotted this in the chapter?

xxx

~Icehaze


End file.
